«Remembrance has a Rear and Front —…»

Remembrance has a Rear and Front —

This something like a House —

It has a Garret also

For Refuse and the Mouse.

Besides the deepest Cellar

That ever Mason laid —

Look to it by its Fathoms

Ourselves be not pursued.

***

Память имеет тыл и фасад —

Это подобно Дому.

У памяти есть Чердак,

Для мышей и моли.

А для кошки погреб есть,

Чтоб стерегла покой.

Кошка уснула, а Хозяин —

Гонится за собой

«A word is dead…»

A word is dead

When it is said,

Some say.

I say it just

Begins to live

That day.

***

Мысль умирает,

Говорят,

Когда изречена.

А я скажу,

Что в этот день

Вступает в жизнь она

«NEW feet within my garden go…»

NEW feet within my garden go,

New fingers stir the sod;

A troubadour upon the elm

Betrays the solitude.

New children play upon the green,

New weary sleep below;

And still the pensive spring returns,

And still the punctual snow!

***

Снова ноги ведут меня к саду,

Снова пальцы шевелят дерн,

И опять трубадур на вязе

Одиночества борет сон.

Снова дети играют в травах,

Снова игры усталые спят.

И весны задумчивый воздух,

И снегов пунктуальных пласт.

«HESE are the days when birds come back…»

HESE are the days when birds come back,

A very few, a bird or two,

To take a backward look.

These are the days when skies put on

The old, old sophistries of June, —

A blue and gold mistake.

Oh, fraud that cannot cheat the bee,

Almost thy plausibility

Induces my belief,

Till ranks of seeds their witness bear,

And softly through the altered air

Hurries a timid leaf!

Oh, sacrament of summer days,

Oh, last communion in the haze,

Permit a child to join,

Thy sacred emblems to partake,

Thy consecrated bread to break,

Taste thine immortal wine!

***

Дни, когда птицы летят назад,

Очень много иль две.

Возвращенья немой привет.

Дни, когда небеса —

Голубые и золотые ошибки —

Ходят в старых нарядах июня.

О, обман,

Не смутивший пчелу,

Вероятность победы сознанья.

О, рожденье зерна;

Музыка ветра, чей голос, играя,

Торопит робость листвы,

О, причастие лета,

О, общение в дымке,

Детворы – голоса,

О, святая эмблема —

Преломление хлеба святого —

Вкус Вина Вечности!

«I started Early – Took my Dog —…»

I started Early – Took my Dog —

And visited the Sea —

The Mermaids in the Basement

Came out to look at me —

And Frigates – in the Upper Floor

Extended Hempen Hands —

Me to be a Mouse —

Aground – upon the Sands —

But no Man moved Me – till the Tide

Went past my simple Shoe —

And past my Apron – and my Belt

And past my Bodice – too —

And made as He would eat me up —

As wholly as a Dew

Upon a Dandelion's Sleeve —

And then – I started too —

And He – He followed – close behind —

I His Silver Heel

Upon my Ankle – Then my Shoes

Would overflow with Pearl —

Until We met the Solid Town —

No One He seemed to know

And bowing – with a Mighty look —

At me – The Sea withdrew.