...No grass ever grows
Making baskets for us
Is their lives’ sole purpose —
Making baskets from the straw,
Weightless basket service.
On the moon, twilight looms
Houses are neater
On the moon, no homes,
Only pigeon quarters
Bluish homes — bluish homes —
Wondrous pigeon quarters...
…На луне не растёт
Ни одной былинки;
На луне весь народ
Делает корзинки —
Из соломы плетёт
Легкие корзинки.
На луне — полутьма
И дома опрятней;
На луне не дома —
Просто голубятни;
Голубые дома —
Чудо-голубятни.
«Why do you strike up songs military / Fife-like, o, bullfinch, my friend? / Who'll take the lead in our fight with Hell's forces? / Who will command us? What Hercules? / Where is Suvorov, strong, swift and fearless? / Now Northern thunder lies dead in the grave. Who will ride fiery, ahea...»
«I'll leave the mortal world behind, / Take wing in an flight fantastical, / With singing, my eternal soul / Will rise up swan-like in the air. Possessing two immortal traits, / In Purgatory I won't not linger, / But rising over jealousy / I'll leave behind me kingdoms' shine. 'Tis so! ...»
«I built myself a monument, eternal and miraculous, / It's higher than the Pyramids, than metal it is harder; / Swift winds and thunder cannot knock it down / The flight of time cannot demolish it. Thus I won't really die! The part of me that's largest / Will baffle death, and will escape de...»
«How blessed's the good-natured poet, / With little bile and much emotion: / All lovers of the gentle arts / Send him sincerest greetings; The admiration of the crowd / Sounds in his ear like rippling waves; / He is a stranger to self-doubt- / That torture of creative souls; Lover of co...»