Death is the end of every living creature
On land and sea, but Man is punished worse:
He knows the fateful sentence in his future
Signed at the very moment of his birth.
Aware of life’s fleetness, yet undaunted,
He dares to wend his way -against all odds-
As if eternity has been bestowed upon him
And he is master of the universe.
Все умирает на земле и в море,
Но человек суровей осужден:
Он должен знать о смертном приговоре,
Подписанном, когда он был рожден.
Но, сознавая жизни быстротечность,
Он так живет — наперекор всему, —
Как будто жить рассчитывает вечность
И этот мир принадлежит ему.
«We've a doorway with a staircase, / Also known as a "back door". / In that place as in a palace / A black cat has set up store. There's a smirk beneath his whiskers, / Darkness fits him like a glove. / Other cats are coy or frisky, / This black cat won't make a move. As his leer ge...»
«All along the Smolensk Road trees rise and rise and rise. / All along the Smolensk Road posts stand mid trees, mid trees. / Just above the Smolensk Road I think those are your eyes: / Two cold evening stars, my two blue destinies. All along the Smolensk Road the snow slaps face, slaps face...»
«(The Little Orchestra of Hope) When all at once, the sound of trumpets / Still faint, commands a fierce grip, / When sudden words like midnight falcons / Swoop down from the fevered lips, / When melody bursts out, unbidden, / It wanders side by side with men: / The little orchestra ...»
«Spring has assaulted every boulder — / The topsoil bursts with sprouting seeds, / Only my son's steadfast toy soldier / Is doomed to his heroic deeds. A joyless master somehow happened / To join this set of tiny parts... / Ask the toy soldier: Are you happy? / And he will fire at your...»