The hour of the soul
1
In the dark night of the soul,
Un-reckoned by any clock,
I gazed into the eyes of a boy,
Un-reckoned in the nights
Of anyone yet, like two ponds
— Unclouded by memory and brimming —
In repose...
At this point
Your life begins.
My greying Roman she-wolf’s
Gaze, upon my fosterling sees — Rome!
My dreaming motherhood’s
Rock face... With no name for my
Sense of loss... Every pall is
Lifted — growing out of my losses! —
Just as once above a bull-rush
Basket there bent a daughter
Of Egypt...
Час души
1
В глубокий час души и ночи,
Нечислящийся на часах,
Я отроку взглянула в очи,
Нечислящиеся в ночах
Ничьих ещё, двойной запрудой
— Без памяти и по края! —
Покоящиеся…
Отсюда
Жизнь начинается твоя.
Седеющей волчицы римской
Взгляд, в выкормыше зрящей — Рим!
Сновидящее материнство
Скалы… Нет имени моим
Потерянностям… Всé покровы
Сняв — выросшая из потерь! —
Так некогда над тростниковой
Корзиною клонилась дщерь
Египетская…
___
Час души
1. «В глубокий час души и ночи…»
2. «В глубокий час души…»
3. «Есть час Души, как час Луны…»
«When you are on my way, / So live and so beautiful, / So tired and weary, / Talking sadly / And thinking of death, / You don't love anyone / And despise your beauty, — / Well, can I possibly hurt you? / / Oh no! I'm not an oppressor, / Nor an arrogant man nor a liar, / Thou...»
«I know your face so well, my fair, / It feels like you have lived with me. / At home, at parties, — everywhere / Your dainty look is what I see. / / Your footsteps follow me wherever / I go or happen to be in. / Somebody chases me as ever / Isn"t it you, — the one I mean? / ...»
«Turning red, temple stairs are fading. / Did you tell me you'd keep the date? / At the entrance to eventide praying / I have opened my heart. I will wait. / / I don't know my intent and desire. / I may die of relief and delight. / All aflame in the evening fire, / I will bring ...»
«Streets were empty, it was just another / Boring night! / Why were you so innocent, and rather / Filled with pride? / / Drops of soaking darkness falling down... / I will rise, / And I'll throw a challenge, with a frown, / To th...»