[Ja būtu vijole zivs...]

Ja būtu vijole zivs,
vai tu izzvejotu to vijoli,
iepriekš zinot, ka vijole mirs?
Mirs,
bet tomēr tavās rokās
brīdi skanēt nenorims.

Bet, kā zināms, nav vijole zivs.
Kaut gan - kas to tā noteikti zin.

© Jānis Rokpelnis
De: Zvaigzne, putna ēna un citi
Rīga: Liesma, 1975
Producción de Audio: Latvijas Literatūras centrs, 2015

[If a fish were a violin...]

If a fish were a violin
would you fish out the violin
knowing beforehand the violin would die?
It shall die
but nonetheless in your hands
for a moment its sound
shall not subside.

But, as you well know, a violin is not a fish.
Although – who really knows this for sure.

Translated by: Margita Gailītis