Of course <br />those who are standing at the top of the stairs <br />know <br />they know everything <br /> <br />with us it's different <br />sweepers of squares <br />hostages of a better future <br />those at the top of the stairs <br />appear to us rarely <br />with a hushing finger always at the mouth <br /> <br />we are patient <br />our wives darn the sunday shirts <br />we talk of food rations <br />soccer prices of shoes <br />while on saturday we tilt the head backward <br />and drink <br /> <br />we aren't those <br />who clench their fists <br />brandish chains <br />talk and ask questions <br />in a fever of excitement <br />urging to rebel <br />incessantly talking and asking questions <br /> <br />here is their fairy tale - <br />we will dash at the stairs <br />and capture them by storm <br />the heads of those who were standing at the top <br />will roll down the stairs <br />and at last we will gaze <br />at what can be seen from those heights <br />what future <br />what emptiness <br /> <br />we don't desire the view <br />of rolling heads <br />we know how easily heads grow back <br />and at the top there will always remain <br />one or three <br />while at the bottom it is black from brooms and shovels <br /> <br />sometimes we dream <br />those at the top of the stairs <br />come down <br />that is to us <br />and as we are chewing bread over the newspaper <br />they say <br /> <br />- now let's talk <br />man to man <br />what the posters shout out isn't true <br />we carry the truth in tightly locked lips <br />it is cruel and much too heavy <br />so we bear the burden by ourselves <br />we aren't happy <br />we would gladly stay <br />here <br /> <br />these are dreams of course <br />they can come true <br />or not come true <br />so we will <br />continue to cultivate <br />our square of dirt <br />square of stone <br /> <br />with a light head <br />a cigarette behind the ear <br />and not a drop of hope in the heart<br /><br />Zbigniew Herbert<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/from-the-top-of-the-stairs-2/
