Jorge Luis Borges, an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. He died in 1986. The original poem is written in Spanish. 

After a while

(Jorge Luis Borges)

After a while you learn the subtle difference 
between holding a hand and chaining a soul 
and you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning 
and company doesn’t mean security
and you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts 
and presents aren’t promises 
and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up
and your eyes ahead with the grace of a man,
and you learn to build all your roads on today 
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans 
and futures have a way of falling down in mid flight.
After a while you learn 
that even sunshine burns if you get too much 
so you plant your own garden 
and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. 
And you learn that you really can endure 
you really are strong 
you really do have worth 
and you learn 
and you learn
with every goodbye, 
you learn…