The Black Shawl poem – Alexander Pushkin

A poem by Alexander Pushkin – Pouchkine, Pooshkin (1799-1837), in English translation

As of senses bereft, at a black shawl I stare,

And my chill heart is tortured with deadly despair.

When dreaming too fondly in credulous youth,

I loved a Greek maiden with passion and truth.

My Greek girl was gentle and loving and fair;

But my joy quickly sank in a day of despair.

Once I feasted gay friends; ere the banquet was o’er

A Jew, the accursed, softly knocked at my door.

“Thou art laughing,” he whispered,”in pleasure’s mad whirl;

But she hath betrayed thee, thy young Grecian girl.”

I cursed him; but gold as a guerdon I gave,

And took as companion my trustiest slave.

My swift charger I mounted; at once we depart,

And the soft voice of pity was stilled in my heart.

The Greek maiden’s dwelling I hardly could mark,

For my limbs they grew faint, and my eyes they grew dark.

I silently entered-alone and amazed;

An Armenian was kissing the girl as I gazed.

I saw not the light; but I seized my good blade;

The betrayer ne’er finished the kiss that betrayed.

On his warm, headless body I trampled, then spurn’d,

And silent and pale to the maiden I turned.

I remember her prayers-in her blood how she strove;

Then perished my Greek girl-then perished my love.

I tore the black shawl from her head as she lay,

Wiped the blood-dripping weapon, and hurried away.

When the mists of the evening rose gloomy, my slave

Threw each corpse in the Danube’s dark fastrolling wave.

Since then no bewildering eyes can delight;

Since then I forbear festive banquets at night.

As of senses bereft, at a black shawl I stare,

And my chill heart is tortured with deadly despair.

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Poems in English 

• Владимир Высоцкий – Вот и настал этот час опять by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – Вот, главный вход by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – Войны и голодухи натерпелися мы всласть by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – Водой наполненные горсти by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – Веселая покойницкая by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – Побег на рывок by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – В холода, в холода by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – В тюрьме Таганской нас стало мало by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – В тайгу by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владимир Высоцкий – В Средней Азии безобразие by Владимир Высоцкий
• Владислав Ходасевич – Опять во тьме. У наших ног by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Окна во двор by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Обо всем в одних стихах не скажешь by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – О, если б в этот час желанного покоя by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Новый год by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Ночь by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Ни розового сада by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Нет, не шотландской королевой by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Владислав Ходасевич – Нет, молодость, ты мне была верна by Всеволод Ходасевич
• Яков Полонский – Диссонанс by Яков Полонский

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