A moongate in my wall: собрание стихотворений

12 June [1928]

588. Александр Блок (1880–1921). «Я был смущенный и веселый…»

I was confused and glad of heart, your dark silk garments teased me sore. The heavy curtain swung apart, and voices hushed and spoke no more. A gleaming ring — the footlights — trace a wall of fire between us two, the music burns your very face, and brings a change in all of you. And so again the candles light, my soul alone is blind anew… Your bared shoulders glisten bright, the crowd of men is drunk with you… Star, you have left this world of mire, and far above the plain you stand… You raise your hand — a silver lyre is trembling in your outstretched hand.

[1928]

589. Александр Блок(1880–1921). «Какому Богу служишь ты?..»

Who is the God to whom you pray? Are you related in your flight to dreams that come before the night or anxiousness at break of day? Or, joined to a star, are you — yourself a goddess — with the rest proud of an equal beauty too, — with eyes devoid of interest Looking from strange heights up there down at the shadows touched with flame — oh, queen of purity, of prayer and earthly homage to your name?

[1928]

590. Александр Блок(1880–1921). Незнакомка

Above the restaurants, at twilight, where drunken shouts and laughter ring, the hot and putrid air is governed bv the impurities of spring. Above the dull suburban houses, above the dust of narrow streets, a gilded signboard faintly glitters, and infant's distant cry repeats. And every night, amidst the ditches, their bowlers jauntily pushed back, the city wits parade their ladies in fields beyond the railway track. Above the lake the squeak of oarlocks mingles with women's muffled screams, while in sky, surprised at nothing, the stupid disk forever beams. And nightly, in my glass reflected, my solitary friend I see, by this mysterious tangy potion subdued and quieted, like me; while next to us, at other tables, waiters look sleepily about, and drinkers, with their reddened eyelids, «In vino veritas!» will shout. And nightly, at the hour appointed (or do I dream that she exists?) a woman's form, in gleaming satins, moves in the window through the mists. And slowly walking past the drinkers, without an escort, as before, wafting a breath of mist and perfume, she finds a seat beside the door. The shining satin tight about her of strange and ancient legend sings, and so her hat, with mourning plumage, and slender hand with many rings. And caught within this sudden nearness, I gaze beyond her somber veil, and there enchanted shores discover, a faraway enchanted trail. With someone's secret I am trusted, a sun is given me to keep. Throughout the fissures of my soul the tangy wine begins to seep. Those ostrich feathers, dimly drooping, rock in my brain forever more. Blue eyes, so deep they have no bottom, now blossom on a distant shore. Within my heart there lies a treasure, and I possess the key, alone! You speak the truth, oh drunken monster: «In vino veritas» — I own.

[1929]

591. Александр Блок (1880–1921). Эпитафия Фра Филиппо Липпи [266]

Here I am resting, Filippo, artist forever immortal, the wonderful charm of my paint brush is on everyone's lips into the paints I was able to breathe with my fingers a soul, souls of the pious I could shake with the voice of the Lord. Even Nature herself, looking at what I created had to admit that I was artisan equal to her. Here in this marble I was rested by Lawrence Medici, ere I would be turned into lowliest dust.

266

Blok supplemented the published poem with a note: «Эпитафия сочинена Полицианом и вырезана на могильной плите в Сполотском соборе по повелению Лаврентия Великолепного». Fra Filippo Lippi (са. 1406–1469) was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance.

23 May 1930

592. Александр Блок (1880–1921). «Грустно плача и смеясь…» [267]

In ringing streams my poems go, weep, laugh and sorrow, quickly bound before you, on, and every one weaves living strings, as on they flow and do not know their banks around. But through the crystals running by you are as ever far from me… The crystals sing along and cry… How can I make your traits, that I may have you come to visit me from where en chanted countries lie?

267

Variant in the fifth line of the second stanza in the manuscript: «could have you come to visit me».

[1960s]

593. Александр Блок (1880–1921). «Из ничего — фонтаном синим…»

From nowhere, like a fountain blue a light flashed on. We turn our heads up, I and you, and it is gone, above the blackness yonder, throwing a golden mop, and here — one more, in spirals going, a ball, a top, green, yellow, red and blue again — all night aglow… And, having wakened it in vain, they go.

[1960s]

594. Андрей Блох(Russian emigre poet) [268]

Far from the highways stretching round a small forgotten town is found. Its park is fresh, its church is old, its sleep starts early, one is told. A fountain and a tree are there right in the middle of the square, where often do a pig and kid graze till the setting sun is hid. And when at times a motor car comes through the swelter from afar, raising the dust, and hurries on, and, like a soul that's doomed, is gone, — all watch with sorrow for a spell the stranger rushing straight to hell. And later pray, when all is still, for peace for him whose soul is ill.

268

Андрей Блох (ок. 1896 — после 1930) Данные о поэте и переводчике крайне скудны: известно, что в начале 20-х годов он служил во французском Иностранном легионе; печатался во множестве периодических изданий (преимущественно выходивших в Латвии на русском языке между 1922 и 1930 годами). Автор двух поэтических сборников — «Стихотворения» (1927) и «Поэмы и стихи» (1929); оба изданы в Париже.

[1930s]

595. Андрей Блох(Russian emigre poet)

I used to know and have forgotten lists of ancient names and numbers half erased. This world — who leads it in the dusky mists, that some are lowered and the others raised? And why have people suffered through the days, and blindly sought, in vain, a better share? Did hidden hands direct them on their ways? Or was it chance that tossed them here and there? And if it was that someone wished to send the sound of mortal agonies to stand, when will it be that He will put an end to all, rem oving the relentless hand?

[1930s]

596. Андрей Блох(Russian emigre poet)

Poems are songs of a soul in its flight — listen to them, passerby, in the night. Poems are sparks of a soul that s aflame, catch them, for heaven and they are the same. Poems are tears of a soul that's a-smart — take them, extinguish the fire of your heart. Poems are secrets a soul has in store, — Know them, rise up to them, sin nevermore.

[1930s]

597. Иван Бунин (1870–1953). «Она молчит, она теперь спокойна…»

She doesn't talk, and she is calm once more, but joy will not return to her again: the day dam p earth was thrown into his grave — that day joy took leave of her for good. She doesn't talk — and now her very soul is empty, like a shrine above a grave, where day and night burns an eternal flame lighted above the silent sepulchre.

[1960s]

598 Мария Визи. «В одном моем привычном сне…»

In one of my familiar dreams there is a place that is so strange, a stillness, where the sunlight beams upon a peaceful mountain range. Green stands a peak, and others crowd as far away as eye can see, while in the sky a silver cloud patterns its fragile filigree. And there upon the slope I stand, but shall I triumph or deplore that in this meditative land I do not need you any more?