Stealthily the trees have come into leaf
on Екзарх Йосиф and Искър
and each day now our mountain is greening:
its lighter burden moves up and off its shoulders.
You’ll see it when you come over the brow of Левски.
I can meet you somewhere nearby –
outside the Art Academy, say,
or the university metro bookstore.
We could walk then to Орлов Мост
and on into Борисова.
The banks of yellow tulips will be out
and we might spot frogs amongst the lilies.
It depends on how much time you have –
and what you say we need to talk about.
Maybe we’ll sit on the grass
where the jugglers and rope-walkers train
or couples practise samba steps in silence.
If you like, we could buy iced peach tea
and find a bench that’s shaded by lindens.
I can’t know what you think
but I will wait for you
somewhere you can watch the snow
melting from Витоша
somewhere you can watch the snow
melting from Витоша
and if you wear that bright blue шал
I will know you in the crowd.
