After meeting the loved one

The heart was exploding with bliss

Mere moments have passed

And it looked up at heavens

Querying silently the Creator

“Is this all I deserve from you?”

Sneered grimly as it has sought

The Rose of Life far and wide

But instead it run into a weed

Feeling sorry for him, it was trapped.

Having absorbed the misfortunate one,

It committed itself to a life of misery.

It knew not of the volcano of sickness

In the brain of the loved one,

Which was dormant but had

Random eruptions

During those four long, joyless Springs

Depraved of light and harmony.

The poor heart was taken prisoner:

It was mourning and grieving,

And breaking into tiny pieces

From the unbearable pain.

Through burning tears

It pleaded with Almighty for freedom,

But would not admit that it was

In love with a madman.

Oh, how it wished that it had known

That he was a madman, a liar and a cheat

Before falling in love with his empty case,

Then someone’s pain would not have penetrated so deep

And suffering would not have lasted.

Oh, poor heart, please forgive your fortune

For not protecting you from ardent passion,

From fires of Hell where you were set ablaze

Until the time had come for suffering to end

At Prophet’s will.

For four long, despondent Springs

When trees not bloomed

And flowers not budded

You dragged your days

In misery garden

And Ocean was so still,

Having passed on to you

Its raving wrath.

The sun warmed not the air

And freshness was amiss

In morning dew.

All that was heart’s old life

Was gone for evermore

Like nightmare’s brief descent.

Behold the poor heart

Which solitude embraced

And thought of Love

Like of a madman’s dream.

               BY  LIANA MARGIVA

          Translated from Russian by ANATOL KARDIUKOV