BELY, Andrei

Eternal Call 1

The sunset pierced through the tops of the trees

with yellow-crimson light.

And this eternal melody sounded:

"Embrace me -- I will begin to kiss you..."

Antiquity at the blazing hour

having seized us with peace,

antiquity, having surrounded us,

flies like an azure-blue waterfall.

And the streaming waterfall of centuries,

forever falling sorrowful wave,

does not wash away, is returned to the past

forever breaking through antiquity.

Antiquity still sings its song,

the world wafts the same rapture over us.

As though a goblet of wine will be spilt

to refresh the eternal ether.

Turning to face antiquity,

I bowed with an entreaty to all.

The branches of the golden, radiant trees

Strain towards me.

And through the whirlpool of endless centuries

something touched me anew, --

that same sorrowful pensive call:

"Embrace [me] -- i will begin to kiss you."

Beyond the Sun

The world-gold sunset is ablaze with fire,

Having pierced through with radiant airiness,

above the peaceful cornfield it set fire to crosses

and distant outlines of cupolas.

Airy veils, waving, whispering with a gust of freedom

in the azure expanses

wind around us with cold satin kisses,

flying from east to west.

The hot sun - a golden ring -

Your contour, piercing the cloud, burned out

The hot sun - a golden ring -

departed from us into the Unknown.

We shall fly to the horizon: there

eternal day without sunset shines through a red curtain.

Speed to the horizon! There a red curtain

is woven from daydreams and flame.

To Balmont

Poet, -- you are not understood by people.

Your eyes do not shine lightheartedly.

Your eyes are raised to the heavens:

Turquoise Eternity is with you.

With you, above you she

caresses, kisses soundlessly.

Washed with azure, the spring

monotonously rings in your ear.

She caresses, kisses soundlessly.

Although people, exactly the same, surround you,

you -- are eternal, free powerful.

O, laugh and cry: in the blue,

like a pearl, scattered clouds.

The sunset has burned down to a strip

there the heart does not need fire:

There like a frosted narrow border

is stretched a string of pearls.