Osip Mandelshtam
Of hunchbacked Tiflis I am dreaming...

Of hunchbacked Tiflis I am dreaming
Sazandar coils and moans
On bridge with people teeming
Capital carpet-gleaming
As Kura runs below.

Restaurant from Caucasus
Where pilaf and wine abound,
A blushing waitress in her youth
Is now ready to serve you
Having served the table round.

Thick Cahetian red wine
It is sweet downstairs to drink
There it's cold, there divine
Drink in pleasure, drink two times:
You don't need alone to drink.

In the tiniests of flasks
You will find a man in bliss
Teliani if you will ask
You will float on a flask,
And in fog will float Tiflis.

Translated by Ilya Shambat