The lies of fame and love’s resolve
Have vanished now without a trace,
Our youthful passions have dissolved
As though a dream or morning haze.
Yet, still, we’re burning with desire,
And with impatience in our souls,
Beneath the yoke of strength and fire,
We hark our country’s pleading calls.
In expectation, full of ardor,
The day of freedom we await, —
Thus waits a youthful, eager lover
The moment of the promised date.
And whilst with liberty we burn,
And whilst our hearts adore ovation,
Our country needs us, — let us turn
And dedicate our soul’s elation.
My friend, believe me that with thunder,
The star of joy will rise again!
And Russia will arise from slumber,
Our names will be incised with wonder
On remnants of oppressive reign!
Любви, надежды, тихой славы
Недолго нежил нас обман,
Исчезли юные забавы,
Как сон, как утренний туман;
Но в нас горит еще желанье,
Под гнетом власти роковой
Нетерпеливою душой
Отчизны внемлем призыванье.
Мы ждем с томленьем упованья
Минуты вольности святой,
Как ждет любовник молодой
Минуты верного свиданья.
Пока свободою горим,
Пока сердца для чести живы,
Мой друг, отчизне посвятим
Души прекрасные порывы!
Товарищ, верь: взойдет она,
Звезда пленительного счастья,
Россия вспрянет ото сна,
И на обломках самовластья
Напишут наши имена!
«The moon relinquished sharp-edge cliffs at sea line, / And with transparent gold: the waters shine; / On board of their pointed boat, this evening / The friends enjoy their heated glass of wine. When looking at the clouds passing swiftly / Through the reflection of the moonlight post; / S...»
«Unapproachable, usually shy, / You are now like fire, all burning / Let me lock your unusual sight / In the poem of love I am saying. Look, how perfectly changed with the lamp / Is the hovel, and wall, even window / Our figures are covered with shade / Which is gentle like night in the ...»
«I shut Homer and sat by the bay window glass. / On my lips the last word of the Iliad fluttered. / The night watchman’s long shadow unhurriedly passed, / And above something — lamplight or moonlight — bright sputtered. So, so often I’d throw down challenging looks / And I met in rep...»
«No, I can’t ever forget / your child’s mouth, your girl’s glance, / bold — I dream of you, / I speak, I think of you — always — like rhythm. I feel vast oceans / heaving as the moon yaws, / and whole galaxies, burning, / swinging as they have always swung, will always swing....»