Recollection Poem for Trude Check-Tuhy

 Written by Jozef Smák and published in the Jednota

English Translation

Spomienka na Trude Check-Tuhy

 (Dobrá, jak jarný vánok, jak letné, krásne dúhy)

ťažko- ťažko, sa je lúčuť s tými ktorých sme mali radi.

Aj, ked´ vieme, že On, naše osudy, života riadi.

Ako ťažko je vysloviť, to smutné, posledné “S Bohom”.

V srdci nám zostane spomienka, poznačená bôľom.

Len nedávno, čo bola ešte medzi nami,

veselá, čiperná, rozdávala lásku a úsmev,

jej celoživotný cieľ, bola hudba, piano a spev.

Po rodičoch zdedila, lásku k slovenskému rodu,

bola naň hrdá, prjavila to na každom kroku.

Po slovensky si spievala, temperamentne dupla nohou pri čardáši,

živá, veselá ako mladá družička na svadbe, na sobáši.

Ale jej Stvoriteľ, mal pre ňu iné, krajšie plány,

povolal si ju koncertovať, do Jeho večnej slávy.

Tam Mu bude hrať piano a spievať slovenské piesne,

tam, kde už viac nebude žiaľ, bolesť, smútok, tiesne,

ale večná spása, blaženosť, spokojnosť a radosť.

 

D´akujeme Ti Trude, že si nás rozveselila svojim spevom,

na našich, slovenských podujatiach, na našich piknikoch,

hudbu a spev šírila v našom slovenskom kostole vo Wilkes-Barre.

Spomienka na Teba nám zostane, našou soľou a chlebom.

 

Recollection on Trude Check-Tuhy

 (Good, like a spring breeze, like beautiful summer rainbows.)

How difficult it is to part with those we have loved. 

And even if we know that He determines our fate and directs our lives,

how difficult it is to express that sad and final “Farewell”.

In our hearts there remains a memory marked with pain.

Just recently while she was still among us, joyful, effervescent, generous with love and laughter, her lifelong purpose was music, piano and song.

From her parents she inherited her love for her Slovak heritage of which she was fiercely proud manifesting it with her every step.

She sang the Slovak songs stamping her feet to a čardaš beat, lively, happy as a young bridesmaid at a wedding.

But her Creator had more beautiful plans for her, calling her to concertize into His eternal glory.

There she will play piano for Him and sing Slovak songs, there, where there will be no more sorrow, pain, sadness, hardship, only eternal salvation, happiness, peace and joy.

We thank you; Trude that you made us merry with your songs at our Slovak undertakings, at our picnics; your music and song broadened our Slovak Church in Wilkes-Barre. 

Your memory will remain with us like salt and bread.

  

Translated by Andrew Sofranko