Nikolay Gumilev

The Savor said: he's blessed, who has the maimed legs
And envy is a fate of him, who's blind or begs;
They will be living over stars of earthy nights,
They will be made the heavens' faithful knights,
The most famous of the famous brothers...
Amen! I will agree. But, what about others,
By whose great thoughts we now breathe and sight,
Whose names call us for life, like trumpets call for fight.
And how could they be atoned for their greatness,
And what will pay all them the equalizing steadiness?
Had Byron then become a market clown-scum,
And Wolfgang Goethe -- fully deaf and dumb,
And Beatrice -- a chip and dirty moll?
Oh, how that is terrible, at all!


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver
January, 2000