Marina Tsvetaeva

The shrine that was high and severe
You left for the squares of the hordes...
Freedom -- the Fairy so dear
To French and to Russian landlords!

The awful choir-practice is ending --
The Liturgy follows next:
Freedom -- a prostitute landing
On soldier's lascivious breast!


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, October 1996,
Edited by Dmitry Karshtedt, November 1996.