Nikolay Gumilev
Of all the countless stars above...

Of all the countless stars above
I’ve chosen this, our world so gloomy.
And in this world I’ve come to love
Some cheerful pathways set before me.

And when an unexpected grief
My soul in secret starts assailing,
I peer into sky’s cloudy reef
Until my soul-deep smile’s unveiling.

And if at times when I’m asleep
I dream about sweet native places,
An unexpected awe I reap
In finding that my heart still races.

Oh, it was all so long ago
Out there beyond, in dark’s expanses –
Where do I sail, and how, below?
It’s no big deal. I’ll take my chances.

Translated by Rupert Moreton

(Nikolay Gumilev`s site)