Anna Akhmatova

Many items, maybe, will be proud
To be sung by my poetic voice:
That is, wordless, roaring around,
Or eroding stones underground, 
Or forcing its way through smoke’s coils.
And I want to take into account
Fire, wind and water, so far…
That is why my dreams, as I have found,
Suddenly would spread such extent out,
And lead me after the morning star.


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, July, 2002