The more the autumn wind is wicked
And the moon desperate, —
The merrier we, vagrants, get
With a bottle of wine.
We wandered the whole day through
The field, with a sleuth and a rifle…
We are comrades — nothing more —
Unacknowledging sorrow.
What is love? Rapture, lips,
The fervour of understatement…!
Moderately gentle, moderately rough,
You know how to be with me.
You smoke a Finnish pipe
And follow the wisp…
Narrowing your mocking eye,
Turning on your stomach!..
What is love? A smouldering match, —
Better things can be found:
Between desire and habit
There are paths of bliss.
Чем осенний ветер злее
И отчаянней луна, —
Нам, бродягам, веселее
За бутылкою вина.
Целый день блуждали в поле
Мы с собакой и ружьем...
Мы товарищи — не боле —
Но тоски не признаем.
Что любовь? Восторги, губы,
Недосказанности зной... !
В меру нежным, в меру грубым
Ты умеешь быть со мной.
Трубку финскую ты куришь
И следишь, как дым плывет...
Глаз насмешливый прищуришь,
Повернувшись на живот!..
Что любовь? дотлеет спичкой, —
Можно лучшее найти:
Между страстью и привычкой
Есть блаженные пути.
«The poet has no rivals / either on the street or in his destiny. / And when he cries out lo the whole world, / it’s not about you, but about himself. / / He raises his delicate hands op lo heaven, / expending his life and powers drop by drop. / Burning out, he asks for forgiveness, ...»
«Poet has no contestants — no matter / If it’s street walk or destiny’s course. / When he screams to the world, every letter / Tells the story of his — not of yours. Skinny hands raised to heaven, and draining, / Drop by drop, bringing life to the brim, / He begs mercy, burns out;...»
«Let’s dream up a despot, / who will role alone in our hearts / from the most childish age / right down to noble gray hairs. / / Let’s have him grow a luxuriant moustache / and let’s put in rapacious eyes, / pull on jackboots that make no noise, / and let’s all vote yes. / ...»
«to A. Zhigulin / / If there is a raven up above / It means things are moving toward war. / / So there shouldn’t be a war / The raven has to be killed. / To kill the raven / A gun has to be loaded. / / But when we start loading it / Everyone will want to shoot. / And as s...»