Kruzlyav leleka bilyi nad selom,
Bo vin hnizdyt'sya tilky tam, de lyudy.
Domivku, shcho bula yoho hnizdom,
Shukav vin dovho z vysoty, povsyudy.

Splyundrovana, obpalena zemlya.
Chorniyut' chat, pokynutych, zinyci.
Osyrotili riky i polya
Pobachyla osyrotila ptycya.

Sered ciyeyi strashnoyi nimoty
Bryniv vhori nesamovytyi klekit!
De spaleni dereva, mov chresty,
Hukav sim’yu, pokynutyi leleka.

Zhor'ovanyi, samotniy, bilyi ptach
Prysiv na dach, shchoby pochystyt' pir’ya...
Didus' starenkyi z patychkom v rukach
Dyvyvsya movchky na svoye podvir’ya...

Zneviryvshys' v dalekiy chuzyni,
Zabuvshy pro smertelnu nebezpeku,
Chocha b pomerty na svoyiy zemli
Letyat' dodomu lyudy, mov leleky...