I would give you my heart, but I can’t find
anywhere even the scent of its buttercups,
I have lost it somewhere, where one wanders
under golden trees in dark rain with eyelids damp.

I would give you a night, but I can’t find
the star whose rising would announce the end of the day,
in the morning you’ll have to keep your lips on mine,
take me in the middle of a sunny day.

I would give you myself, but I can’t find
anywhere even a footprint sunk in the sand,
you’ll have to catch winds and follow shadows
unheard-lightly.

Triin Soomets was awarded the annual Juhan Liiv poetry prize.

Translated by Jüri Talvet and Harvey Hix
© ELM no 11, autumn 2000