Alexander Blok
Do You Recall?

Do you recall? In our sleepy bay
the green waves were sleeping,
when battleships, in line ahead,
entered, soundlessly creeping.

Four — all grey. And for an hour
we were full of questions,
while the sunburnt sailors strolled
along the shore and past us.

The world became more enticing
wider — then they were in motion.
We watched all four of them sliding
into the night and the ocean.

And the sea was dull once more,
and the lighthouse blinked madly
when from the semaphore
the last signal shone sadly…

How little we children need
in this life — you and I.
The heart cheerfully finds joy
in the slightest thing that goes by.

You’ve only to find a speck of dust
on your knife from some alien land —
and the world will appear miraculous
drenched in bright mist on every hand! 

Translated by A. S. Kline