Life goes on, defying common sense.
Old men chatter in the southern sun:
“Moscow ballrooms… The weather in Simbirsk…
The War… Kerensky… We had freedom then…”
Before you know it — forty years in France,
a buzzing in the head, chill in the bones.
“Masonic plot… The Jews, all their infernal…
Ah, you were published? Where? Which journal?”
…In the dull sunshine there is peace and grace.
They wait and wait, but hope it won’t be long
before the old Cyrillic script regains its place,
before that age of gold re-dawns.
Жизнь продолжается рассудку вопреки.
На южном солнышке болтают старики:
— Московские балы… Симбирская погода…
Великая война… Керенская свобода…
И — скоро сорок лет у Франции в гостях.
Жужжанье в черепах и холодок в костях.
— Масонский заговор… Особенно евреи…
Печатались? А где? В каком Гиперборее?
…На мутном солнышке покой и благодать,
Они надеются, уже недолго ждать —
Воскреснет твердый знак, вернутся ять с фитою
И засияет жизнь эпохой золотою.
«O love! O love! In the convulsions, in the coffin, / I'll be on guard — entice — worry — and tear. / Not in the snow mound of the coffin, nor a snow mound / Of cloud, I will part with you, O my dear. And not for this are given to me gorgeous / Two wings that weight upon my heart wou...»
«Either at dawn or at dusk, I will die, but on which / One of the two - can't be told from the orders, I know. / Ah, could it be that my torch could go out twice again! / At the same time at dusk and at dawn it would go! Heaven's daughter! With a full apron of roses! Not a sprout / Violatin...»
«Happy New Year, swan demesne! / Ruins so glorious! / Happy New Year — in foreign lands — / Knapsack-bearing warriors! Red pursuit, mouth foaming, / Not caught up, will dance, / Happy New Year — homeland, / Beaten in the race! The whole Earth sings with a toast song / To the ...»
«1 To be your light-haired little fellow — / Oh, through all years! — / To drape a student behind your dusty purple / In cloak severe. To catch through people's density your sigh / That life does give / With soul that lives with your breath, like a cloak / With blowing wind. More...»