U gradu, nije važno ime, u praznoj sobi, kaže priča, i usred ljeta, usred zime, ja vidim tužnoga mladića.
On živi sam i ko zanesen u svom svijetu od papira, a vani sunce, kiša, jesen, a vani vergl nešto svira.
No jednog dana šum kraj vrata, to netko neznan ući želi u njegov život, poput tâta, da njegovu samoću dijeli.
A vani zima, vani sniježi, i pored praga mačka leži, on pruža ruke, kô da sanja, a vani zora -- svjetlost danja.
No, u tom času, u tom trenu pred sobom vidje nagu ženu, i on joj reče: budi moja, a ona kaže: ja sam tvoja.
I sve što ima mladić skupi i stavi trgovcu na vagu, da prstenje od zlata kupi i haljinu za svoju dragu.
Da, zlato želi, al' ne haje za skromnu halju što joj daje, i tužni mladić svako veče u novu krađu opet kreće.
Jer, on je želi, on je ljubi, i volio bi da je mazi, a zna da svoju ljubav gubi bez darova i ruku praznih.
I riješi sada, još ove noći, u zadnju krađu on će poći, i u zoru se mladić vrati da strašnim novcem ljubav plati.
I donese joj dragi kamen u svijetu najveći od sviju, u kom se, kao jedan plamen, sve vatre ovog svijeta kriju.
I vidje -- žena ruke pruža i ljubi kamen kao muža, i kao što njega nikad nije uz tijelo hladan kamen grije.
I dok se njemu lice grči u sobu uđe miš i trči, i kao mačka skoči žena, na plen se baci istog trena.
I stiže ga, a njeni zubi već traže meso koje peče, i ženi koju mladić ljubi sa kuta usne krv poteče.
U strahu mladić oči sklopi -- te strašne slike neka odu, on vidje lađu što se topi, i svoju ljubav na tom brodu.
A kada opet nađe snage on digne vjeđe -- žene nema, i tada mjesto svoje drage on vidje mačku kako drijema.
Kroz prozor uđe svjetlost danja, on pruža ruke, kô da sanja, sad opet samo mačku ima, a vani studen, snijeg i zima... ____________________________________
The Cat
In a town, of unrelated name In an empty room, the story goes In mid summer as in mid winter A sad youngster I can see
He lives alone like in rapture In his world of paper And outside there’s sun, rain and autumn And outside there’s sound of a street organ playing
Yet one day, a noise by the door Some stranger wants to sneak In his life like a thief To share his solitude
And outside there’s winter, outside there’s snowfall By his doorsill a cat lays He opens his arms like in a dream And outside it dawns, outside a new day breaks
But in that moment, in that minute In front of him occurs a naked woman And he told her be mine! And she said I’m yours!
And all his goods young man gathers And puts it on the merchant’s scales With golden rings to buy his love And gowns for his darling
Yes, she wants gold but doesn’t prize The modest robes that he gives her Thus sad youngster each evening A new theft commences
Since he craves her, he worships her He wants to embrace her But he knows that his love evaporates With no presents and bare hands
So he decides on that night One last theft he will make With the break of dawn youngster reappears To pay for love with dire money
So he brought her a gemstone The biggest of them all Which assembles in one flame All the fires of this world
He saw a woman reaching out Kissing a bead like a spouse And she does as she’s never done with him Warms a cold stone against her figure
And as his face writhes A mouse scurries in the room Like a cat woman leaps On her prey pounces promptly
She snares it while her teeth Already seek the stinging flesh And there’s young man’s love Blood trickling down her lips
Dreaded youngster shuts his eyes To make those grisly pictures go away So he saw a sinking ship And his young love on that boat
Once he regained his courage And lifted his eyelids, the woman was gone In the place of his darling He saw a cat napping
Through the window daylight enters He opens his arms like in a dream Once again all he has is a cat And outside there’s cold, snow and winter