by Jerzy Zagórski
translation from Polish by J.G.

All that is beautiful passes
the elegance and crimes of bygone times
carefully gathered in museums
carelessly sleeping upon cathedrals
gothic flowing from forest columns

Noble cities, tides of races,
grey-haired Parises and yellowed Marseilles
quickly we must say farewell
to all that is beautiful and happy
it earns but frail favor from the heavens
and may last but a fleeting while

Permanence. What is permanence in this world?
no more than the clatter of castanets
nothing will clothe the body in eternity
no hand on this earth, no one’s touch
for pickaxes and for poets alike,
all that is beautiful passes,
for pickaxes and for poets alike
all that is beautiful is…

All that is beautiful passes
all that is beautiful stays

Even though that time will pass
people, cries, trees, storms
foolish, fearless matter
animals, flowers in the clearing
all that is beautiful passes
all that is beautiful stays

Foolish, fearless matter
animals, flowers in the clearing
all that is beautiful passes
all that is beautiful is