Zbigniew Herbert
Mr. Cogito–the Return
1
Mr. Cogito
has made up his mind to return
to the stony bosom
of his homeland
the decision is dramatic
he will regret it bitterly
but no longer can he endure
empty everyday expressions
–comment allez-vous
–wie geht's
–how are you
at first glance simple the questions
demand a complicated answer
Mr. Cogito tears off
the bandages of polite indifference
he has stopped believing in progress
he is concerned about his own wound
displays of abundance
fill him with boredom
he became attached only
to a Dorian column
the Church of San Clemente
the portrait of a certain lady
a book he didn't have time to read
and a few other trifles
therefore he returns
he sees already
the frontier
a plowed field
murderous shooting towers
dense thickets of wire
soundless
armor-plated doors
slowly close behind him
and already
he is
alone
in the treasure-house
of all misfortunes
2
so why does he return
ask friends
from the better world
he could stay here
somehow make ends meet
entrust the wound
to chemical stain-remover
leave it behind in waiting-rooms
of immense airports
so why is he returning
–to the water of childhood
–to entangled roots
–to the clasp of memory
–to the hand the face
seared on the grill of time
at first glance simple the questions
demand a complicated answer
probably Mr. Cogito returns
to give a reply
to the whisperings of fear
to impossible happiness
to the blow given from behind
to the deadly question
Polish; trans. John Carpenter
& Bogdana Carpenter
Zbigniew Herbert, Polish, trans. John Carpenter
& Bogdana Carpenter, Report From the
Besieged City, Ecco Press, 1985.