Konstantin Balmont

She’s one of them seem goodly with cameos,
With slowness, enamels of the olds,
Windows to gardens, moonlights, sad accords,
Round a swan neck – light of a pearly necklace.

Wizards gave her a kingdom with a palace,
In which the near and far have the same odds.
And time is sorry to destroy tales’ plots.
Snow will not fan this garden of sweet fairies.

In the mid-night, I’m by her window glass.
There, she was sitting by her bed in silence.
Her spring was loved by the gazelle’s glance.

Lime-trees were bearing in their spell the past.
And velvet pines were dropping shades from highness…
She was alone, she was downcast.


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, September, 2003