Igor Severyanin
In Luminous Darkness

Tuxedoed, attired immaculately, the high-society gentlemen
Stupefying their faces, brought themselves into a room,
I gave a forced smile, sarcastically ash and darkness remembering:
A new poetic motif unexpectedly breaking the gloom.

Every line — a slap on the cheek. My voice — torture, atrocity.
Rhymes come together happily. Tongue shows the assonance.
I despise you fiercely, O all you dim luminosities,
And, while despising, I count on global resonance!

With light youre fogged over evilly, O the luminous audience!
Hidden from you, undeserving ones, is futures horizon youve sought.
In Severyanins time, O all you dim luminosities,
It should be known that since Pushkin came both Blok and Balmont!

Translated by Ilya Shambat