Anna Akhmatova. The heart’s memory of the sun grows faint.... Translated by Judith Hemschemeyer

Anna Akhmatova
The heart’s memory of the sun grows faint...

The heart’s memory of the sun grows faint.
The grass is yellower.
A few early snowflakes blow in the wind,
Barely, barely.

The narrow canals have stopped flowing —
The water is chilling.
Nothing will ever happen here —
Oh, never!

The willow spreads its transparent fan
Against the empty sky.
Perhaps I should not have become
Your wife.

The heart’s memory of the sun grows faint.
What’s this? Darkness?
It could be! ... One night brings winter’s first
Hard freeze.

Translated by Judith Hemschemeyer

Анна Ахматова
Память о солнце...

Память о солнце в сердце слабеет.
Желтей трава.
Ветер снежинками ранними веет
Едва-едва.

В узких каналах уже не струится —
Стынет вода.
Здесь никогда ничего не случится, —
О, никогда!

Ива на небе пустом распластала
Веер сквозной.
Может быть, лучше, что я не стала
Вашей женой.

Память о солнце в сердце слабеет.
Что это? Тьма?
Может быть!.. За ночь прийти успеет
Зима.

January 30, 1911. Kiev

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The memory of sun weakens in my heart, / grass turns yellow, / wind blows the early flakes of snow / lightly, lightly. / ...
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The memory of the sun is weakening my heart. / Turns yellow the grass. / The wind blows the early snowflakes, / Lightly, l...

Anna AkhmatovaThe heart’s memory of the sun grows faint...