Confusion
III
You approached me, smiling mildly,
As by civility’s demand,
Then, half tenderly and half idly,
With a kiss you brushed my hand —
And the faces, mysterious, ancient,
Cast their gazes on me forthright…
All ten years of my trepidations,
Each and every sleepless night
I then placed in a quiet word
And I voiced it — in vain, unsure.
You walked off and with order restored,
My soul was empty and pure
Смятение
3
Как велит простая учтивость,
Подошёл ко мне, улыбнулся,
Полуласково, полулениво
Поцелуем руки коснулся —
И загадочных древних ликов
На меня поглядели очи…
Десять лет замираний и криков,
Все мои бессонные ночи
Я вложила в тихое слово
И сказала его — напрасно.
Отошел ты, и стало снова
На душе и пусто и ясно.
«Tips of blue flame are dancing about, / Home expanses are being neglected. / It's the first time that I’m singing love, / For the first time refusing to racket. I was all like a desolate garden, / I was greedy for women and potions. / Now, I don’t want to sing and to dance, / And t...»
«Azure space is aflame up above, / I've forgotten my home destination... / For the first time I'm singing of love, / For the first time I give up contention. / / I was all like a desolate grove / Loving women and heavily drinking. / I don"t drink any more and don't love / Like I did...»
«Let me, my starling, / get into your little house! / Take me up into your bird's residence! / I'll give up my soul and heart in pledge / for your blue snowdrops! The spring whistles, sings, pipes, mumbles! / Silver and white po...»
«This little girl stands out among her mates. / The look of ugly froglet fate has dealt her. / A hand-me-down sweater tucked in, helter-skelter; / Tight reddish curls spill out of her braids; / Her mouth wide, her teeth — a crooked chain; / Her little face pinched and extremely plain. Tw...»