Afterglow Rays

Yellow thorny morning sky is scorching me within,
It burns across the dusty mindless trees.
Mellow crimson evening sun is soothing me again,
The sunset sea is playing with the breeze.

Afterglow rays—cleft between worlds.
The horizon is pouring ethereal gold.

Rains that fall with brown leaves, blazes of the phoenix,
Whispers of a grass snake, icy crystal whirlwinds—
They conceal the secret paths to the hidden night winds zone.
I’ll discover nature’s spell, and slip into the thunder’s home.

Behold: the plumes of distant clouds
Afire with the rays—
The last glare of the scene sublime
Extends the solid bridge ahead
That I shall dare to walk upon
And vanish like the morning rime.

The sun has sunk below the squalls of restless breeze
And left the world alone with vultures’ shrieks.
Billows turning dark, they’re wailing in the gulf,
These ageless creatures ride their foamy stream.








Animate City (The Statue)

Am I standing in a dream town?
Speechless buildings, weathered stones;
Archway and pillar gates, dark yellow fresco walls.
The air is thickening, turning gold.

The dark wind blowing from the hillside,
The poisoned sky's indigo-blue.
Spells of the fleshless prince have chained the city might,
Inhabitants were long subdued.

Statues in eternal slumber ever hold their breath,
Within them the beryl hearts confined.
Almond eyes of goddess with a slender marble breast
Cast a glance on me,—two dots of fire.

  Fine features of this face
  Emerged from ancient race,
  Enchanted by her stare
  I'm drowning in the charm
  Of salient image fair.
  You're everywhere I look,
  You dominate my soul,
  I'm seeing through your eyes—
  Their poignant flame enthralls.

Once the queen of jasper hills was alight
With the fire of mystic eternal life,
Did not taste the sad lot of mortals;
What befell you now?

I complete the magic rite and break her deathly bonds,
Summon the arcane resuscitation.
Animate the dark sky dial, set its hands to turn.
Winds of passion rise, the houses burn.








***

Aspirations to straddle the fence,
The baseness of ungrudging deeds...
Let me pick all the buds, get a life,
A rose grooves together with weeds.
I neglect all the cares, lacking steam,
Scenario written by dice cast.
Never worry for snow in July,
For there's no prognosis with my past.

The scene replays
Before my eyes–
Not deja vu, but sweet delusion.

No more afraid
Of lunacy,
All bounds are blurred between illusions.

Plunge in thought, step in joy, ring a chime,
The rain in the soul doesn't matter.
No beliefs, no indefinite qualms,
The catherine-wheel spinning madder.
Wars outside, war inside, still the wind,
The parley talked into indifference.
Just the sound of a thawing ice drip
Brings balance to sparks in the distance.

Aspirations to straddle the fence,
Scenario written by dice cast.
Sometimes firing guns shoot a glance,
And there's no prognosis with my past.








***

As the madness-tainted dread,
Spicy ice is burning slowly.
Enemy has crept inside,
Poison-screeching, spirit-gory.

Don't believe in fairytales?
Not until you stand before it...
Desperation, silence wails,
Thoughts collide, the past withdrawing.

So real
Surreal
So real before you
The flaming worm is soothing
Soothing
Nocturnal ghost above you brooding

The lapse of memory feels so fresh and novel,
Familiar things astoundingly look new.
You see your smallness fore the face of omens,
Your frailty in the play of sightless crew.

There is no wakening–most excruciating.
Could you believe a nightmare merge with life?
You better bear it: fog and snow aren't quailing
Till all this scene will see you calm or rive.








Corona astralis (The Crown of Sonnets)
Maximilian VOLOSHIN

In worlds of love we are adulterous comets,
The trodden orbits shut away from us!
In vain the earth will give our dreams her fuss,
Away from midnight suns we're lost and homeless.

In Lethe baptized not, our bitter spirit
With reminiscences bears down on us.
The universal bitterness still lasts.
It smolders in our breast, poetic shivering.

All those whose eyes see only in the dark,
Alive and buried deep in earthen chark,
All those whose roots grow up, exiles in this land,

Whose dreams are clear, who prophesy the names,
Shall never find that joy the world so craves–
Their temporal love will drown in earthly quicksand.








Corona astralis (Венок сонетов)
Максимилиан ВОЛОШИН

В мирах любви, – неверные кометы, –
Закрыт нам путь проверенных орбит!
Явь наших снов земля не истребит, –
Полночных Солнц к себе нас манят светы.

Ах, не крещён в глубоких водах Леты
Наш горький дух, и память нас томит.
В нас тлеет боль внежизненных обид –
Изгнанники, скитальцы и поэты!

Тому, кто зряч, но светом дня ослеп,
Тому, кто жив и брошен в тёмный склеп,
Кому земля – священный край изгнанья,

Кто видит сны и помнит имена, –
Тому в любви не радость встреч дана,
А тёмные восторги расставанья!









Drunken Philosopher

Bees hum is soothing and robins are chirping here.
Afternoon sun mildly shines through the fallow leaves.
Don't judge the drunken philosopher lying by the creek,
Inhaling the warm tune of mellow air, lauding this bliss.

Where is the disputer of this age, where is the wise?
Gone is the truth, lulled by song of Aeolian harp.
Drunken philosopher laughs at it, sipping his wine,
Viewing bright flashes on water and tracks of the starfalls.

He learns the vainness of seeking the highest truth,
Melting in waves of the creek, as its calm splash swoons.








In Search Of Shambhala

Tibetan mountains dale,
A covert snowy cavern,
An anchorite lies down.

He's weeping desperately
Of twenty-six long years
In search of Shambhala.

In vain protracted meditations, strict ascetic life,
He couldn't find the holy place despite of all his strife–
Dejection demons took hold of his soul.

He knew–only the pure can closer draw near heaven,
He knew–only by wings can one that barrier cross,
And fully consecrated himself to do that task.

Oh long-desired dream, immortal city of the gods!
Ishwara-Shakti let me catch a glimpse of splendor sight,
Then I can die, though defeated, by light.

Walk thousand narrow paths, surmount the rugged way,
Discover secret maps, from sirens stay away,
On chancel burn the snake, of sword sheath find the key,
Placate the dragon dread, then only shall you reach!

Amidst his silent cry
A sudden revelation
Came, powerful as blast:

There is no shambhala!
It's simply non-existent
Not now, not in the past.

As thunderclap, a deep realization then and there
Pervaded space with glares of icy brilliant summits fair,
White castles, rainbows, unspoken and rare.








***

Листья тратят свет на трепет, шорох в тени,
Ветви тихо обомлели – ветер греет их.
Трение трав и шум из окон слились в теме
Двух аккордов, трём воздушным арфам вверенных.

Звук, родившийся так чудно, облетит движение улиц
И ответит колебаниям клумб, оград и тротуаров.
С лёгкой оторопью трели, что так долго напевали
Переплёт дневных мелодий, звуком схвачены, уснули.

Тихий шелест прекратился, чтоб, вздохнув, опять придти
И дворы своим узором меж домами очертить;
Подмигнуть двоим прохожим – тем, что видят всё во тьме
И вдыхают этот шелест, не впуская трель извне.

Жёлтый свет от фонарей чуть мерцает, но незыблем;
Говор птиц, за ним невидимых, слова вплетает в круг
Тишины под фонарями, непрозрачной и застывшей –
Как янтарь, переливаясь, загорится она вдруг.

Тайна дремлет, тайна дышит, стережёт карнизы крыш,
Нависая над домами и стекая с листьев вниз,
Направляя заблудившиеся ветры меж пролётов
Арок, стен, колонн, деревьев и подземных переходов.

Держит нити звуков, трелей, света в окнах, клумб и арф
И тихо водит карусель ночную в целом городе;
Запахом земли ведёт и стелет синий пар,
На виду у всех несёт невидимое золото.

Ответь ей, если слышишь
Невидимый полёт её,
Прильни к ней, если видишь
Тот путь, которым с ней пойдёшь –

Вслед за тайной, в сердце ночи,
Справа – свет других огней,
Слева лес вдогонку шепчет:
"Звёзд – не больше, чем путей!"








Magic Freedom

Follow you, I keep following you
Through the cold and lonely alleys deserted.
Find the strength, I will carry on,
Skies pouring gray, I'll defy its lead!
Endless tears from the air opaque,
Endless rounds though I will surely find you.
Search so wide, yes I search so far,
You are my destiny, evening star.

Come clean–
Do you love me too?
Unseen
Mystic charm of you.
Your sheen is almost blinding, blinding me.
Behind
Joy of toil and lore,
Before
I sight your secret door,
I love you, love you
Magic Freedom Bird!

No retreat, Rubicon is here.
Road to you lies through windy pathways.
Give me strength to cease my weakening fear,
When I'm low–have my power staid!
In that world where there's just me and you,
Endless choices strangely are the same bliss.
Oh, to dwell with thee for eternity,
Hand in hand... first I'll catch your glimpse.








Опасенье
Роберт Фрост

Кричат все, "Ветер, мы пойдём с Тобой!"
Листва и стебли – все спешат за ним;
Но сон одолеет их на пути,
И вот лишь молят они на пути,
И вот лишь молят, "Давай постоим!"

Расцветши весной, раскинувшись вширь,
Поклялись листья тогда, "Полетим!"
Но ныне лишь скрыться б у изгороди,
Иль чащи, иль впадины, ночь провести.

Теперь на призывный Ветра порыв
Ответят слабеющим жестом листки,
Увядшим желанием вихрь, что угас
Несёт их не дальше, чем были они.

Я смею надеяться лишь, что свободным,
Как были свободны они в их стремленьи
Ко Знанию вне ограниченной жизни,
Не стану покоиться в гибельной лени.








Misgiving
Robert FROST

All crying, 'We will go with you, O Wind!'
The foliage follow him, leaf and stem;
But a sleep oppresses them as they go,
And they end by bidding them as they go,
And they end by bidding him stay with them.

Since ever they flung abroad in spring
The leaves had promised themselves this flight,
Who now would fain seek sheltering wall,
Or thicket, or hollow place for the night.

And now they answer his summoning blast
With an ever vaguer and vaguer stir,
Or at utmost a little reluctant whirl
That drops them no further than where they were.

I only hope that when I am free
As they are free to go in quest
Of the knowledge beyond the bounds of life
It may not seem better to me to rest









***

Ты помнишь мгновенья, когда приоткрылись
Тебе откровенья стихавшего ветра?
Неслышное пенье земли, отражённое
В шорохе трав уходящего лета.
Неведомый чувствам мир прежних стремлений,
Навеянный воздухом вечности крик
Вдруг стал осязаем, реален и близок,
Рождая чудесную силу внутри.

То длилось лишь миг: вот от первого облака
Тень по ветвям, цвет сменив, пробежала,
И голос ушёл, будто спрятался в кроны,
И пение трав вместе с ним миновало.
В неясном восторге ты думал о тайне,
Что, мимо летя, тебя тронула крыльями,
Воспоминанья оставив о чуде,
Что не передать и не остановить тебе.

– "Где же то чувство, где волшебство?
Это ведь был не мираж".
– "Жди, и опять те секунды придут –
Вновь ты увидишь лик наш", –
Звенят голоса, замолкая в листве.
Зелень раскрасил закат,
И средь синевы ярко-медные пятна
Вечно недвижно горят.

И вот слышишь снова ты странные ноты –
Не слухом, но так же, как было тогда.
Пьянит ожидание близкого чуда,
Встаёт безотчётного счастья волна.
Природа молчит безучастно, а в ней
Всё сыплются искры, что скрыты для нас,
И лишь иногда отсвет тайного мира
Становится зримым для внутренних глаз.

И если ты чист и не держат тебя
Ни сомненья, ни мелочный страх неизвестного,
То открываются двери в мир ветра –
В странном блаженстве вступаешь в безбрежное.
Мысли закончатся, мир вдруг разрушится,
Если возьмёт тебя дух в путешествие
В неизмеримую даль осознания,
Калейдоскоп отражений вселенной.








***

Remember the moments when you caught a glimpse of
The wind's revelations in delicate stillness?
Inaudible singing of earth was reflected by
Rustling of grasses and late summer willows.
Acute without feeling, alarm with no reason;
Impersonal presence was filling the air.
So painfully pleasant, unspeakably real,
Empowering so short, it was making you dare.

It lasted but moment: a cloud's passing shadow
Has suddenly dimmed out the color of branches;
The voices went off as if hid in the tree crowns,
The song of the grass was as well shortly faded.
With indistinct joy you bethought of the mystery
Whose wings gently grazed you when flying by your side,
Just leaving a memory of miracle meeting,
Since then you cannot chase, since then cannot find.

Where is that feeling, where is the spell?
It was so real, without pall.
"Wait and we'll come, you'll relive it again–
Breathless, our sight you'll recall"–
Said chiming voices and fled in the haze.
Sunset has kindled the leaves,
Midst of the azure the brazen spots burn with
Ever immovable gleams.

Behold: now again you are witnessing strange sounds,
But not through your hearing, just like in the past.
So dizzying miracle's anticipation,
Elation so high, unexplainably fast.
The nature seems silent, aloof, and impartial,
Keeps shedding the sparkles, all hidden from sight.
But once the reflection of spheres outlying
Comes standing discernible stark to the eye.

And if you are pure, not restrained by the doubts,
Not held by the fear of the unknown in front,
The doors are flung open then into the wind world,
You're stepping then into the shoreless profound.
Thoughts will decline, and the world will be shattered
If you are brought by the ghost to the realms
Of the immeasurable heights of perception,
Kaleidoscope of the universe fanes.








Scotch Elegy

Here with the breeze on the deserted shore
Wide-awake, I am charmed by my bagpipe.
Ell-wand is high, lighting Saint Elmo's fire,
Calls me home, tells me unspoken lore.
I am benumbed by the stillness within,
And the eyelashes wave with the lapping.
This is the surge in the bends of my veins,
Like a plash from the sea storming in.

Swash
Of cold water run,
Mist in a rippling distance.
Path
Will not disappear,
Three thousand leas
To the land of the leal
Shall lead me.

Just listen to the sad hum of the surf
And the sobbing of rowlocks still singing.
If you are getting bogged down in the fog,
Don't run off–you will find secret verve.
Quietly pick every soundless voice,
Find a key to the calm of the seagulls.
You'll hear the words of the stray rivers lull,
And the tide will return to the poise.

Splash
Of cold water run,
Slaty a wavering distance.
Path
Will not disappear,
Three thousand leas
To the land of the leal
Shall lead thee.

Here I am waiting for Sylphide to come,
Pave the moon road for her fleeting high soar.
Only the wind swiftly blows out the star,
And the tide mutters, beating at my door.








***

Stranded in these odd streets,
You inhale a nameless breath.
Walking in the sharp dream,
Yielding to the air caress.
Scream despair, wail in tears:
What is where is when is clear
Why this body, why the fear,
How much longer, freedom near?

...Not an answer, not a whisper,
Not a gliding flight of leaf,
Not a gleam of mellow amber
In the lanterns flickering sheen
Will respond you–
One on one
With this cage, you're trapped in your thoughts;
Never ending monologue,
Ever holding grip of anger,
Ever wearing craft of ghosts.
Only distant howling echoes,
Shattered hopes of magic lands
Follow an obscure madness,
Lead the way in dream that wanes.

Waning dream,
Beaded lightning.
Disappear,
Come away!
Nightly wind,
Eerie rapping
On your breast,
The silent din.

Yearning
Desperate
Deep mauve
There's no fate
Linger
Pine and hope
Sunset
Dark wind lows
Dark wind lows

Emptiness.








***

Летний вечер, синий ветер,
В лужах звёзды, в листьях месяц.
Здесь – и город и не город,
И проспект и не проспект,
В этом месте ты не знаешь,
Существуешь или нет –
Взглядом выпив все предметы,
Не запомнишь ни приметы.

Созерцай, не отвлекаясь,
Силуэты меж деревьев.
Лист порхает в тишине,
Фонари горят во тьме...
Не теряя ни мгновенья,
Поднимайся меж домами –
Видишь, там, над проводами
Дым летит, играя с тенью?








The Fall of Atlantis

Mighty giants rule the golden land.
The miracles patent–the magic on people bestowed.
Titans teaching the humans to build
The towers that proudly grow,
Aim to bridge the sky,
be more grand.

Island of the red glass, hybrid epic limbs
Learn uncanny powers, ride eternal winds.

Apex almost reached, and Eden built,
Only human greed unchanged.
Still the heaven's envy mightier,
Stirring higher gods' rage.

Lo, the waves as high as clouds; fire from the blue cast.
Cease the flourish of the earth; war divine will be fast.
No one will see now the glass under water,
No one will ever recall
The world of Atlantis that's sinking to Hades.
All ye that rise so must fall.








Twilight Wind

Wind that's gently carrying leaves
Steals away in autumn shadows.
It is alive, it heaves.
Twilight colors slowly die,
The mulberry sun rays spread their magic–
The power of the evening sky.
You're standing dazed, awestruck and stiff,
Engulfed by wind, can almost see
The worlds beyond belief.
Environs changing their scene,
Elusive is the spirit,
But seems entirely real.

Inner silence and the night,
Merged in subtle strange concordance,
Dwell among the trees.
Stay here! Listen with your eyes.

These moments are fleeting like a flare–
So faint, ineffable, dreamlike.
Can't make the murk sight happen again
Of sightless beings in the air.
Violet darkness is now in sight–if you stay quiet,
You will sense the gently blowing faceless might.
Don't be stupefied,
Breathe in the night,
It's the power night!

Fly on the breeze–with the leaves,
Prolong the bridge into the real.








***

Виденья в парке меж тропинок чёрных –
Уж больше не виденья, – явный мир
Невиданных существ, инкубов сонных,
Оживших вдруг, заполнивших эфир.

Стволы сырые клёнов, тьмой рождённых
Свет фонаря вдруг выхватил во мгле,
И, не мигая, глаз ветвей сплетённых
Пронзает синевой, смотрящей вслед.

Стена тумана, смешанного с ночью,
Метаморфоза призрачной воды
Внушают страх пред вечностью, воочию
Являя чудо древностей седых.

За этим тёмным лесом, будто ширмой
Вращаются бесшумно шестерни
Гигантского под-мира, невидимкой
Манящего, лежащего в тени.

Нет мыслей. Нет ни шума, ни волненья.
Кулисы расступаются, и вот
Мерцание величественной сцены,
Как ход, ведущий в бездну, предстаёт.

Кем был ты? Ни следа нет, ни значенья.
Всё прошлое поблекло в пустоте.
Шагни – и растворишься чрез мгновенье
В неведомом. Но есть ли страх в тебе?


Виденья в парке меж тропинок чёрных
Уж никогда не встанут в стороне
От взгляда твоего. Колышут клёны
Листвой, раскрывшей тайну всех теней.








***

Walking through the wicket gate away from dull gray farmhouse,
Stepping into foggy woods where blue carnation grows,
Passing by the ancient mosses on the blocks of limestone,
Getting caught with incantation spelled by firry groans.

Frightening feeling, apprehension–
It's all a dream within a dream.
Trapped in fern webs, hazy pathways.
The trees keep shedding dark gold leaves.

Suddenly an overwhelming wave of high elation
Makes you go beside yourself and leave all fears behind,
Scatters misty white cloaks that conceal some pending danger,
Never-ending freedom's ever near at your hand.

Fly up now, through the foliage soar,–
To firebirds on high.
The breezes rule conifer scent,
The ozone waft so light!

This journey made, you never know
How real the woods and sky were.
The starting point forgotten, dim,
The present–ever brighter.

Familiar fleeting sensation
Of something about to reveal.
So piercing the near revelation
Of mysteries you longed to feel.


Return!
To that house.
A force now drags, it pulls you yonder.
The end,
Sudden rouse.
Take along a piece of wonder!


...Still the trees shed dark gold.








***

Согрет дыханьем времени,
Усыпан сон-травой,
Переплетён туманами,
Корнями и росой,
Волшебный лес стоит в горах.
Тропинок нет к нему.
Дождям не смыть завесу мглы,
Забвенья пелену.

Здесь жили в прошлой вечности
Создания без тел,
Слагая песни воздуху
И здания без дел.
За жажду к вольной магии,
Полётам вглубь миров
Их боги силы ввергли в сон,
Бездонный мрак оков.

Вне осени, вне времени
Не может лес сиять,
Но хрупких листьев золото
Ветрам не оборвать.
Свет от коры серебряной
Струится к небесам,
Хранит ветвей мелодия
Гимн давним королям.