Zinaida Gippius
Song

My window is tall above the earth,
tall above the earth.
I see only the sky with the evening sunset,
the evening sunset.

The sky seems empty and pale,
so empty and pale.
It does not take pity on the poor heart,
my poor heart.

Sad, that in such wretched sadness I should die,
that I should die.
I strain towards that which I do not know,
I do not know.

This desire, I’ve no idea from where it came,
from where it came
but my heart wants and ask for a miracle,
it asks for a miracle.

O let that which never happens,
happens.
To me the pale sky promises a miracle,
it promises.

But I weep without tears at the false promise,
at the false promise.
I am calling on that which doesn’t exist,
which doesn’t exist.

Translated by Belinda Cooke