For How Long Will Copper Rain Down?

For how long will copper rain down? Storks are coming here

to winter, but from above there lightly fall

their broad, exhaling sails, and they veil

the falling human beings below.

For how long will copper rain down? Victories weep

in the chasm. And the burned-out eyes of a young boy

in a field hospital – march toward his bride. She will need

to tear down the sun for him, the sun will be her dowry.

For how long will copper rain down? A strange alphabet

is being born right now of feet and eyes and hands.

Shake the dust off your shoulder, petrified prophet,

and read what has been written, no other can.

Now copper has ceased to rain down. And the prophet

reveals himself before the alphabet of feet and eyes and hands

and reads it. And reads it into a scroll of parchment

for coming generations.

Poem by Avrom Sutzkever

Translated from Yiddish by Maia Evrona