Ахматовой / Untitled (for Akhmatova)

Russian
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Вполоборота, о печаль,
На равнодушных поглядела.
Спадая с плеч, окаменела
Ложноклассическая шаль.

Зловещий голос – горький хмель –
Души расковывает недра;
Так – негодующая Федра –
Стояла некогда Рашель.


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English Translation

for Akhmatova

Grief sorrowing — indifferent
glances — half-turning. Her
shawl, a pseudo-classic on her
shoulders — like stone ossifying.

A dark voice — ill-omened, bitter-
tasting hops-intoxication — the soul
spirited, split heart-deep — indignantly.
In this way Rachel once played Phaedra.

3 January 1914, Petersburg

Printed from Cerise Press: http://www.cerisepress.com

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