On the Shore

Behind us – ashes, ruins and waste land
Before us – seaweed, wind and foam
Behind us – babies, lost as men and dreams
Before us – waves and ships and shame

Oh sisters, let’s swap places, go!
Mother, let’s persuade the seagulls:
Come down to earth. Let us fly!

Some say – my eyes are made up smokey
We all know – darker things will come
I seek my – sisters: so many missing still
I count my – fingers: I had luck!

Despair in the fog is cruel
Pain in the sun is perverse
White seagulls float in the skies
Black raven flock on the shore

HE. Out, out with you, death-bringing boats! Son-killing weapons!
No rest of a rest may stay in our lands. Clean our homeland, clean, clean!
Clean, clean…

My mother – a statue of revenge now
She spits on all the traitors on both sides
Loaded full with grief and anger
And though it’s heaven to have her near!

Oh sisters, let’s swap places, go!
Mother, let’s persuade the seagulls:
Come down to earth and let us fly!

Despair in the fog is cruel
Pain in the sun is perverse
White seagulls float in the skies
Black raven flock on the shore

Lost beauty of our blazing city
And with it all we once called life