She said: What do you know of my city
You’ve seen your hotel and the Red Square
that one travels on the tube, that one drinks vodka
that simply does not suffice to get to understand the people
I hardly registered what she was saying anymore
for the red dawn gently lit up her hair.
I saw only her, I saw only her –
otherwise I didn’t see anything in this foreign city
I saw the sun coming up and going down again
in her arms.
She said: You know that I am here
then perhaps you can also love the city a little
She clung to every second
in the hours left to us in this night.
I saw her standing forlornly at the window:
she said: do svidanya meaning Goodbye
I saw only her, I saw only her –
otherwise I didn’t see anything in this foreign city
I saw the sun coming up and going down again
in her arms.
I would have liked to reach my hand to this cold city
but I found no open door – not only once Perhaps
I saw only her, I saw only her
we didn’t want anything, just simply to live together
but this foreign city would never give us the chance
I saw only her, I saw only her - …