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Anna Akhmatova

Appearance Of the Moon

Of the pearl’s light and agate’s clouds

Of the such fairly smoked glass,

By slopes of so sudden mounds,

She sailed such solemnly in skies –

As if the Moon Sonata’s sounds

Had cut our roadway at once.

Courage

We know what is now on History’s scales,

What is, in the world, going now.

The hour of courage shew our clock’s hands.

Our courage will not bend its brow.

None fears to die under the bullet’s siege,

None bitters to lose one’s home here, --

And we will preserve you, O great Russian speech,

O Russian great word, we all bear.

We’ll carry you out, clear and free, as a wave,

Give you to our heirs, and from slavery save.

Forever!

Four Seasons Of the Year

I shall return today right there,

Where I had been at spring.

I’m neither sorry, nor unfair -

I only darkness bring.

It’s very deep, it’s like velvet,

It’s dearest to us

Like a dry leaf from a tree fled,

Like a wind’s whistle, that’s lone spread

Over the smooth of ice. 

Translated by Yevgeny Bonver