A Poem From Estonia

 Yesterday I ran out of coffee. Not a single bean in the house. Those of you who know me recognize the gravity of the situation. This morning I drank hot tea. There is a place in the Kingdom for a steaming cup of black tea, but it will never replace a cup of of well-roasted Sumatra. But sometimes it's good to change routine. 

 Last week a few friends came for fish tacos- Andrew, Janell, Spencer, Libby and Hanna. Good food, good conversation, laughter. Hanna, a ministry school student, made two significant contributions to the evening:

1. a cake

2. a poem

in Estonian

Both were amazing.

Here is Hanna's poem, in English and Estonian-

The Marks of Shadows

Hanna-Liisa Reinpuu

When you are walking on the road

you can't see behind yourself.

When you turn around

you roll up the past

Afraid to knock, afraid to open,

afraid to share your dreams.

Why don't you continue the road

that you started when you were born?

Why are you shaken by somebody

who doesn't care about your dreams?

His flattery tangles you in the trap

you don't know how to let go from his firm grip.

..and by slow degrees all beauty will fade to oblivion.

You are running on fire

feet in the air.

You think you can leave without leaving a mark.

Estonian Version

Varjude jäljed

Hanna-Liisa Reinpuu

Kui mööda teed Sa kõnnid

ci näe Sa enda taha

Ümber pöõrates Sa rullid

lahti mineviku paha.

Kardad koputada, kardad avada,

kardad oma unistusi jagada.

Miks ei jãtka sa teckonda,

mida alustasid sündides?

Miks kõigutab sind keegi,

kes su unistustest ei hooli?

Ta meelitavad sõnad mässivad sind püùnisesse,

ei oska sa lahti öelda ta hoardest.

...ja vaikselt kòik ilus vajub unustusse.

Sa jooksed kui tulel

jalgu maha panemata

Arvad, et vòid laukuda jälgi jätmata.

 Hanna's Cake


For more Estonian poetry, Hanna suggests reading the work of Juhan Liiv, one of Estonia's favorite poets.