sat
beneath the willow
tears
outpouring
from his heart
every tear
a Cossack lost in war.
Every tear
a free man
gone to the grave.
Although the Kobzar
lost his eyes
his heart and soul
saw all.
Beneath the willow
he heard the music
brought to him
by the wind
from the burial mounds.
They were the songs
of fallen Cossacks
imploring
the Kobzar
to go on.
Keep on singing
you grey haired
Kobzar
keep on singing
while you wander
the earth
you must tell
our wives
our brothers
and children
that our deaths
are not in vain.
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