Unmoved by bullets, confrontations,
Unmoved by songs of celebration!
And so I gape, with admiration:
“What people! What a nation!”
A nation – such, that with elation –
A mouthpiece of vastness stationed –
A poet, gapes with adoration,
Dumbstruck: O, what a nation!
It won’t submit to occupation,
Or to the luxury its shown, -
You try to beat it with starvation?
Try starving – granite stone!
(It’s there – it cuts a stone with care,
Its grammar won’t grow stagnant…
Engrained inside, it waits! – it flares! -
A garnet, makes - a magnet.)
… Took radium out of its chest,
And gave you - a donation!
Alive, – with Europe still abreast –
To bury such a nation?
If you yourself are – such, my Lord!
You’ll do it as I’m willing -
Don’t sanctify it with your horde, -
Breathe life into the living!
1939
***
In Russian:
http://slova.org.ru/cvetaeva/narod/
Visit Russian Poetry in English for more of my translations
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