Wolf

I heard you trotting from far away,
trembling in the snow-covered forest.
Old wolf, with a weary mouth,
eternal wanderer of the dead fields,
I heard you howl from far away.

I heard you, and in the dark hours
I chased with wild rage,
I understood your calling as a brother,
and I understood that in the starless night
you are the companion of my dreams.

I can hear you cry out in the wilderness,
with dog-packs lurking, ready to pounce,
you walk alone in the woods in suffering—
You, and only you, untamed beast,
understand a soul without a country.
Octavian Goga (1881-1938)

Translation by Prontobard 2022