Old man, what are you grieving over on ocean's shore?

Your dismal glance what seeks in perky waters?

What needs your heart that cries the tears of  blood

When real tears have dried up?

Why shakes the hand that brushes off a tear from wrinkled skin,

Perhaps, its strength is wasted on the wiping effort of years past.

Remember, old man, many years ago this very beach

We pounded each day with our feet that run as fast as wind

T'wards  long and sweet embrace!

We gave a solemn oath to stay together,

Where our feet were caressed by the waves,

But squalls of life were tearing us apart.

And, after wounds were healed, we'd start to seek

Each other once again across the ocean waves.

Oh, how my soul was yearning for the beach

Where seagulls soared above the mighty sea,

And where you were waiting just for me!

On foggy day of our distant youth

A wooden boat sailed the river Life,

And I went running, stumbling and falling,

With bleeding hands and knees to meet my dream.

But fog was blown away and apparition vanished,

The boat was empty and the dream was gone.

But wait, the boat was far from empty!

It brought me many years of  Solitude

And pain to last me to my dying day.

Our rendez-vous beneath the stars

Did not take place and my sweet dream

In which you loved me never did come true .

My soul was never to return again

From distant land where dreams reside.

It lost its way among the twinkling stars

In nooks and crannies of the Universe

In search of you, my love.

My heart cries over a delightful dream

That never did come true .

I wish I could discover

The path that leads to my dreamland

Where I could stay forever in your arms!

Don't grieve, old man, for you are not alone.

In distant land where ice and snow rules

And flowers would seldom grace the soil,

For you I waited by the frozen stream

And so sweet was my enchanted dream.

These arms of yours that now hang fatigued

Were strong and wiry and they held me close

To your big heart, which like a bell was tolling

For our love amongst the calm of night.

 At dawn I kissed your tender loving eyes,

And in the rain I missed  your sweet embrace.

When snow came I grieved for years past

That by your very absence were disgraced.

Don’t cry, old man, wipe off the bitter tears:

I shed enough for both of us for years.

And don’t regret not seeing your reflection

In my adoring eyes, and that my caring hand

Remained untouched by yours.

Alas, the life has passed and we will slip to yonder

Like withered flowers get absorbed by Earth.

Don’t cry, old man, don’t aggravate my pain,

For all I want now is a quiet ascention

To blissful garden hidden by the rain

Where Almighty will accept his daughter

Who was unloved on this blessed Earth,

And who was sentenced to life’s ruthless slaughter.

You cry, old man, it seems that earthly fortune

Had little mercy on your wretched soul,

And now you are alone, forgotten

Bemoan your fate and long for my return.

In vain, old man, I walked the Earth

In search for you too long

Until with solitude I wed

By twist of fate and paid my debt

To you in full.

Old man, where that distant shore,

Where ocean roars, where you cry

For me, I found you not ?!!!

So here we are, both shedding bitter tears

For dreams that didn’t come true ,

We failed, both me and you

To find the love we sought

You by the ocean,

I – by the frozen stream…

By Liana Margiva

 Translated from Russian by Anatol Kardiukov