1

You're happy? You won't say! Barely!

Better let go!

You kissed too many, I do think,

Therefrom, sorrow.



All heroines of Shakespeare's tragedies

In you I see.

Nobody saved you, you the young

Tragic lady.



You are so tired of repeating

Love's charm!

Eloquent, the pig iron bracelet

On bloodless arm.



I love you. - Like a thundercloud

Above you - sin -

Because you're best of all and caustic

And sting,



Because in darkness of the roads differ

Our lives and we,

For your inspired enticement and

Dark destiny,



Because to you, my round-headed demon,

"Forgive" I'll say,

Because you - tear apart above the coffin! -

Cannot be saved!



For this trembling, because - is it not so -

I have a dream? -

For the ironic beauty of this,

That you - aren't he.



2

Under caresses of an ivy

Plaid I recalled yesterday's dream.

Whose victory? Who's been defeated?

What has it been?



Rethinking everything once more,

Torturing myself once again.

In this, for which no word I know,

Had love ever been?



Who was the hunter? Who - the hunted?

All is reversed as if by Satan!

What did the loudly purring

Siberian Cat, understand?



In this self-willing one another

Who in whose hand was but a ball?

Whose heart flew - yours or mine,

Do you recall?



And still again - what has it been too?

What do I want, what do I pity?

And I don't know: Did I win?

Did somebody Conquer me?



3

Today was melting, and today

Before the window I did stand.

A sober look, a freer chest,

I'm satisfied just once again.



I don't know why. Perhaps the soul

Has simply grown tired of it all,

And somehow the rebellious pencil

I do not wish to touch at all.



Distant to good and evil both,

Inside the fog I stood, and thus,

Was lightly drumming with my finger

Upon the barely sounding glass.



It is indifferent to the soul

Than this one you first met - say I -

Than mother-of-the-pearl mud puddles

Where in full pleasure splashed the sky,



Than bird that overhead is flying

And dog that's simply running by

And even the impoverished singer

Did not begin to make me cry.



The dear art of oblivion

The soul has mastered all the way.

Some overwhelmingly big feeling

Melted within my soul today.



4

You were too lazy to get dressed,

Too lazy to get up for me.

And every following day for you

Would have been happy with my glee.



To come so late on a cold night

Embarrassed you especially.

And every following hour for you

Would have been young with this my glee.



I was the youth that passed you by -

You did this without ill intent,

Your actions were in every way

Incorrigible, innocent.



5

Today, around eight, dashing through

Big Lubanka straight ahead,

Like bullet, like snowball,

Somewhere rushed the sled.



Already the laughter rang...

I froze as I peered:

Red down of the hair

And somebody tall was near!



We were with another, and opened

Another sled route, I thought,

With things that were dear to me -

More strongly, than I did want.



"O, je n'en puis plus, j'etouffe!" -

You screamed in full voice of yours,

And boldly went tucking in

The hollow of fur on her.



World is happy, and evening is bold!

From the muff purchases fly...

Thus you rushed in a snowstorm,

Coat to coat, eye to eye.



And cruelest mutiny happened,

And white snow did pour.

I followed you with my eyes

For two seconds - and no more.



And caressed the longish nap

Upon his coat - without wrath.

O Snow Queen! Your little Kai

Is frozen to death.



6

Just like a young plant sprout

The neck is high and free.

Who'll tell the name, who - years,

Who - place, who - century?



The curve of not bright lips

Is capricious and wan,

But blinding is the terraced

Forehead of Beethoven.



Clean to endearment

Is the molten oval.

A hand, in which a whip would do,

And - in the silver - opal.



Hand, meriting a fiddlestick,

Gone into precious silk,

A beautiful hand also,

A hand that is unique.



7

You pass me by as you stroll,

I don't touch your hand at all.

But my angst is eternal yet,

That you be the first I met.



Heart said "Darling!" out of control,

I forgave you it all,

Knowing nothing - not even the name!

Love me, love me, I exclaim.



From the curve of your lips with one glance

I see their forced arrogance,

By above brows jutting out:

This heart storms, no doubt.



With a black silk armor - dress,

Voice with gypsy hoarseness,

Until pain I love all things in thee,

Even that you are not a beauty.



Beauty, in summer won't wilt!

Not a flower - you're a stalk made of steel,

Meaner than mean, sharper than sharp, I say,

From what island were you born away?



With a rod you do wonders, with a fan -

In each bone and in each vein,

In the form of each finger full of rage -

Woman's tenderness, boy's courage.



Parrying all ridicules with verse

I open for you and the Universe

All that's ready in you, fine one,

Stranger with forehead of Beethoven!



8

Under sun the eyes are burning,

Day's not equal day.

I tell you for that occasion

If I would betray:



Whose lips I had not been kissing

In the hour of love,

To whom I upon black midnight

Did not dreadfully vow -



To live, like a flower blooms, like

Mother tells a child,

Never with an eye to go

To any side..



See that cross made of cypress?

It's familiar to you.

All will wake - you only whistle

Underneath my window.



9

I'll repeat in hour of parting

When love comes to end

That I loved, yes that I loved truly

Your masterful hands



And the eyes - somebody isn't

Gifted with a glance! -

Those that answer are demanding

For a look every chance.



You with your thrice-cursed passion -

God sees all, say I!

And demanding a payment for

An accidental sigh.



And I tiredly say, to listen

Hurry not at all!

Why is it that your own soul

Stands across my soul.



And again I'll also tell you:

All the same - hear this! -

Far too young was this my mouth

For your gentle kiss.



Glance is luminous and daring,

Heart - like five year old...

Happy's he who did not meet you

On your road.



10

Before a mirror, where there's fog

And turbid sleep, your way

I want to try - where it will lead

And where there is the quay.



I see: the mast upon a ship,

And you - on deck, standing...

You - in the smoke of train... the fields

In lament of evening



The ravens flying overhead,

The evening fields in dew...

In all the four directions

I Am truly blessing you.



11

The clock - what time it is?

Rang out.

Hollows of giant eyes,

Watered satin of the dress..

I just about see you, I guess,

Just about.



The neighboring porch

Has turned off the light.

Somewhere they love too much..

Your face's sketch

Is a scary sight.



It's semi-dark in the room,

Night is one under skies.

Pierced by the light of the moon

Window deepened - Like sheet of ice.



"You give up" - the voice burst.

"I didn't fight, it was my choice."

Voice from the moon catches frost.

Voice - like from hundred verst

This same voice!



Between us stood ray of moon,

Moving the world everywhere.

Intolerably shone

Metal red-brown

Of crazy hair.



Run of the moon forgot

History's run.

Mirror breaks moon apart.

Knocking of hooves far apart,

Screeching of a cart.



Light on the street burned down,

Running fades.

A cock will crow soon

Parting for two young

Ladies.



By Marina Tsvetayeva
Translated from Russian by Ilya Shambat https://sites.google.com/site/ibshambat/tsvetayeva?authuser=0

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