Love conquers, deceitful and slow,
With a soft amateurish refrain.
So strange to think — not long ago
You weren’t dejected and gray.
In the garden, at home, in the field,
Whenever she flashed her smile,
Wherever you were, you believed
You were free and out in the wild.
Once taken by her, you glowed
And you drank her poisons, content.
Because all the stars seemed to grow,
And fields had a different scent,
Autumn fields.
Любовь покоряет обманно,
Напевом простым, неискусным.
Еще так недавно-странно
Ты не был седым и грустным.
И когда она улыбалась
В садах твоих, в доме, в поле,
Повсюду тебе казалось,
Что вольный ты и на воле.
Был светел ты, взятый ею
И пивший ее отравы.
Ведь звезды были крупнее,
Ведь пахли иначе травы,
Осенние травы.
«The violin got all worked up, imploring / then suddenly burst into sobs, / so child-like / that the drum couldn’t stand it: / "All right, all right, all right!" / But then he got tired, / couldn’t wait till the violin ended, / slipped out on the burning Kuznetsky / and took fligh...»
«(Instead of a letter) Tobacco smoke eats the air away. / The room, — / a chapter from Kruchenykh’s Inferno. / Recall, — / by the window, / that day, / I caressed you ecstatically, with fervor. / Here you sit now, / with your heart in iron armor. / In a day, / you’ll scol...»
«In lieu of a letter The room’s a chapter of Kruchonykh’s Inferno. / Air / gnawed out by tobacco smoke. / Remember – / At the window, / For the first time, / Burning, / With tender frenzy your arms I’d stroke. Now you’re sitting there, / Heart in armour; / A day, / And...»
«Instead of a letter Tobacco smoke corroded the air. / The room — / is a chapter in Kruchenykh’s hell. / Remember — / this window, / Here / I stroked your hands in a frenzy. / Well, / Your heart encased in iron. / Reviling, / You’ll throw me out, perhaps, / one day. / ...»