---

The city is crowded—

my heart is silent.

The noise and uproar—

my heart is silent.

Laughter echoes somewhere near,

Cars rush by; I hear brakes and horns—

my heart is silent.

Somewhere, the smoke of cigarettes,

Somewhere, a voiceless silence settles,

And in the sky, the moon tonight—

my heart is silent.

Along the path, shoulders collide,

Along the path, two gazes tie,

Along the path, a heart is crushed,

Along the path, I die—hushed.

Even the cat walks calm through grass,

Even the birds laugh as they pass,

Such a restless city—and yet,

I walk without you, still and upset.

People walk with hands entwined,

Smiles linger on lips, warm and kind,

Some lean gently shoulder to shoulder,

Some hide wounds they carry inside.

I have no laughter, none, no joy,

Not even a shoulder to rest upon.

Happiness drifts somewhere far away,

And I lean on its fading shadow.

My heart fills up like a fragile bowl,

And spills from it nothing but pain.

And as if you might still return,

I look out the window again and again.

The city is crowded—

my heart is silent.

The noise and uproar—

my heart is silent.

Laughter echoes somewhere near,

Cars rush by; I hear brakes and horns—

my heart is silent.

Cars, horns, the restless crowd—

You are there at that stop.

So many words remain unwritten,

But the pen has broken—its ink has run dry.

Somewhere, the smoke of cigarettes,

Somewhere, a voiceless silence settles,

And in the sky, the moon tonight—

my heart is silent.

---

Bafayev is the founder of Empor Education, a German language teacher, poet, lyricist, and translator. Through his work, he combines language, literature, and education, creating meaningful connections across cultures. His writing explores human emotions, memory, and relationships, while his translations reflect a deep appreciation for linguistic and cultural nuance.