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 victorious than King David, with shoulder
The crowd to move.
To serve from all slights, all earthly slights
As cloak to you.
To be he who between the sleeping students
In sleep won't dream.
A shield, and not a cloak, at the first stone
That crowd brought in.
(This verse's not stopped willfully! The knife is
Sharp to no end!)
And — with inspired smile — to be the first your
Fire to ascend.
1
Быть мальчиком твоим светлоголовым,
— О, через все века! —
За пыльным пурпуром твоим брести в суровом
Плаще ученика.
Улавливать сквозь всю людскую гущу
Твой вздох животворящ
Душой, дыханием твоим живущей,
Как дуновеньем — плащ.
Победоноснее Царя Давида
Чернь раздвигать плечом.
От всех обид, от всей земной обиды
Служить тебе плащом.
Быть между спящими учениками
Тем, кто во сне — не спит.
При первом чернью занесённом камне
Уже не плащ — а щит!
(О, этот стих не самовольно прерван!
Нож чересчур остёр!)
И — вдохновенно улыбнувшись — первым
Взойти на твой костёр.
___
Ученик. 1. Быть мальчиком твоим светлоголовым...
Ученик. 2. Есть некий час — как сброшенная клажа...
Ученик. 3. Солнце Вечера — добрее...
Ученик. 4. Пало прениже волн...
Ученик. 5. Был час чудотворен и полн...
Ученик. 6. Всё великолепье...
Ученик. 7. По холмам — круглым и смуглым...
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