Konstantin Balmont

His eyes, with color of the midnight flower,
Showed a heart, sharp-sighted as the skies.
His ear was all a wonder and surprise –  
He easily heard whenever light’s a mover.

Look, here comes night. We can it see a little.
He – heard it all. And rustling of old hags.
And breath of blooms, extinguished on moon’s crags – 
He fathomed all – a comet amidst people. 

Once, the unknown fell in love with him,
Whose sense of order was instilled in chaos,
Who raised the earth up to the holly realm.

And on the grave of him, whose so forgotten pain is,
He, loving, left his sign of high esteem – 
One of the stones, fallen from the heavens. 


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, October 24, 2001