If you ever want to leave me | A poem by Halina Poświatowska, 1935-1967

Halina Poświatowska

if you ever want to leave me
do not forget about smiling
you may forget your hat
gloves a book containing important addresses
anything at all – for which you have to come back
coming back unexpectadly you will see me in tears
and you will not leave

if you ever want to stay
do not forget about smiling
you are free not to remember my birthday
or the whereabouts of our first kiss
or the reason for our first spat
still if you want to stay
do not go about it sighing
but rather smiling

stay

Untitled (If you ever want to leave me)
Translation by Marek Lugowski