Osip Mandelshtam
On a pearl shuttle you spin...

On a pearl shuttle you spin
A thread of silk so fragile
Come forth, you fingers agile,
Lesson in charms begin.

Movements of arms about
Their ebbs and flows in flight —
To cause some solar fright
You cast a charm, no doubt

When your broad hand's on fire
Like shell grows still and fades,
Or quenches, runs toward shades,
Or morphs into pink fire.

Translated by Ilya Shambat