A well-loved poem by the Dutch poet J.H. Leopold

Round my old house tall poplars crane

Round my old house tall poplars crane

‘my love, my love - where are you now’

a narrow lane

of wet leaves, and the fall to come.

And on and on the dull refrain

‘my love, my love - where are you now’

of rain on rain

past grieving, and the wind is dumb.

The house is hollow, dark and bleak

‘my love, my love - where are you now’

with whispered creaks

of attic beams that will not cease.

Inside sits someone hunched and lined

‘my love, my love - where are you now’

whose eyes are blind

whose mind finds neither rest nor peace.

To hear this translation read, go to here