Osip Mandelshtam
Venetian Life

To me the meaning of Venetian life is clear
Bleary though it be and fruitless;
Here she stares with smile instilling fear
Through the dirty bluish window glass.

Thinning air, blue veins through skin of arm,
A green brocade and the whitening snow
From the coat they take a corpse, sleepy and warm,
And on cypress stretcher lay it low.

And inside the basket candles burn
As if pigeon flew into the shrine,
And a man is dying in his turn
In the theater and on night divine.

May no rescue come from foe or lover,
More than platinum the rings of Saturn weighs.
Block is set under black velvet cover,
Face is beautiful and looks away.

Heavy, Venice, is your dress and belt,
There are mirrors in the cypress frames
Air is faceted. In bedroom mountains melt
Of that dirty bluish glass. Nothing remains.

Fingers hold an hourglass or roses.
Green of Adriatic sea, forgive,
Why are you so quiet, Venetian hostess,
From this holiday death row how do I leave?

The black Hesper flashes in the mirror,
All will pass. The truth is dark and dour.
Man is born. The pearl dies, barely clearer.
Susanna the elders must conjure. 

Translated by Ilya Shambat