The demon in me's not dead,
He's living, and well.
In the body as in a hold,
In the self as in a cell.
The world is but walls.
The exit's the axe.
(«All the world's a stage»,
The actor prates.)
And that hobbling buffoon
Is no joker;
In the body as in glory,
In the body as in a toga.
May you live forever!
Cherish your life,
Only poets in bone
Are as in a lie.
No, my eloquent brothers,
We'll not have much fun,
In the body as with Father's
Dressing-gown on.
We deserve something better.
We wilt in the warm.
In the body as in a byre.
In the self as in a cauldron.
Marvels that perish
We don't collect.
In the body as in a marsh,
In the body as in a crypt.
In the body as in furthest
Exile. It blights.
In the body as in a secret,
In the body as in the vice
Of an iron mask.
Жив, а не умер
Демон во мне!
В теле как в трюме,
В себе как в тюрьме.
Мир — это стены.
Выход — топор.
(«Мир — это сцена»,
Лепечет актёр).
И не слукавил,
Шут колченогий.
В теле — как в славе.
В теле — как в тоге.
Многие лета!
Жив — дорожи!
(Только поэты
В кости́ — как во лжи!)
Нет, не гулять нам,
Певчая братья,
В теле как в ватном
Отчем халате.
Лучшего стоим.
Чахнем в тепле.
В теле — как в стойле.
В себе — как в котле.
Бренных не копим
Великолепий.
В теле — как в топи,
В теле — как в склепе,
В теле — как в крайней
Ссылке. — Зачах!
В теле — как в тайне,
В висках — как в тисках
Маски железной.
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