Маргарита Агашина - Второе февраля

The following is a loose translation of a powerful poem by Margarita Agashina "The second of February". This date is forever set in history of our country and of the world as the turning point of the WWII, and the Mamaev Hill (or Kurgan) - is the place of this enormous military feat.
 

On February the second,
Not too early and not too late
At this date.
And to the Mamaev Hill
You will come, you will.
On the second of February.

And there, at that frosty summit,
at that sacred sight,
at that mighty height
you will adorn
white whirling storm
with red flowers.

And as if for the first time you’ll see
What it was like,
Their combat path!
February, February,
A soldiers’ month,
blizzard in the face,
chest-deep snow.

One hundred winters will go by.
And a hundred blizzards.
One simple truth can’t be denied:
We’re in debt forever.
February, February,
A soldiers’ month,
Carnations burn in snow.