They\u2019re both convinced
\nthat a sudden passion joined them.
\nSuch certainty is beautiful
\nbut uncertainty is more beautiful still.<\/p>\n
Since they\u2019d never met before, they\u2019re sure
\nthat there\u2019d been nothing between them.
\nBut what\u2019s the word from the streets, staircases, hallways \u2013
\nperhaps they\u2019ve passed each other by a million times?<\/p>\n
I want to ask them
\nif they don\u2019t remember \u2013
\na moment face to face
\nin some revolving door?
\nperhaps a \u201csorry\u201d muttered in a crowd?
\na curt \u201cwrong number\u201d caught in the receiver? \u2013
\nbut I know the answer.
\nNo, they don\u2019t remember.<\/p>\n
They\u2019d be amazed to hear
\nthat Chance has been toying with them
\nnow for years.<\/p>\n
Not quite ready yet
\nto become their Destiny,
\nit pushed them close, drove them apart,
\nit barred their path,
\nstifling a laugh,
\nand then leaped aside.<\/p>\n
There were signs and signals
\neven if they couldn\u2019t read them yet.
\nPerhaps three years ago
\nor just last Tuesday
\na certain leaf fluttered
\nfrom one shoulder to another?
\nSomething was dropped and then picked up.
\nWho knows, maybe the ball that vanished
\ninto childhood\u2019s thickets?<\/p>\n
There were doorknobs and doorbells
\nwhere one touch had covered another
\nbeforehand.
\nSuitcases checked and standing side by side.
\nOne night perhaps some dream
\ngrown hazy by morning.<\/p>\n
Every beginning
\nis only a sequel, after all,
\nand the book of events
\nis always open halfway through.<\/p>\n
[Translated by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They\u2019re both convinced that a sudden passion joined them. Such certainty is beautiful but uncertainty is more beautiful still. Since they\u2019d never met before, they\u2019re sure that there\u2019d been nothing between them. But what\u2019s the word from the streets, staircases, hallways \u2013 perhaps they\u2019ve passed each other by a million times? I want to ask … Continue reading Love at First Sight by WISLAWA SZYMBORSKA<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6385"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6385"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6388,"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6385\/revisions\/6388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maraahmed.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}