A child of the earth

 Maiden-earth, maiden-earth,

do not raise the acacias to the currents
of the young rains -
they will wash the milk from you
and then everything will become white

maiden-earth, maiden-earth
do you hear how the guns echo
within your milk
do you have a heart
across which the crazy missile will fly?

Maiden-earth, maiden-earth
follow with the birds-knots
someday they will return
to the nest-memory ,
like crosses that cannot be untied

Maiden-earth, maiden-earth
when they wait so womanly
and die so manly
in your dug outs
gaining more and more iron
and more and more metal ceasessly it
returns
returns
returns

maiden-earth, maiden earh
how to flee from this white world
how to leave white uttrly
to every warrior who you have stopped
At the threshold with the words:
"I will have a child by you
right under the bulge here, can you feel it?"

and he only feels
how your tender shoots
touched the young rain again

Translated from the Ukrainian by Stephen Komarnyckyj