Peasant Children
:
Nekrasov, Nikolai
:
1861
:
Poem
:
:
Once again, I'm in the country. I go hunting,
Write poetry - life is easy.
Yesterday, tired out from walking in the swamp,
I wandered into a shed and fell deeply asleep.
I awoke. Between the wide slats of the shed
The happy rays of the sun are visible.
Pigeons coo; flying over roofs,
Cry young rooks.
There's another kind of bird flying too -
By its shadow I'm certain that it's a raven!
Oh! Some kind of whisper... and there is a row
Along the slats of attentive eyes!
All gray, brown, blue eyes -
Mixed like in a field of flowers.
In them, there is such calm, freedom, and sweetness,
In them, such sacred goodness!
I love the expression in children's eyes,
I'd recognize it anywhere.
I froze: soul touched by tenderness...
Oh! Another whisper!
FIRST VOICE
Beard!
SECOND VOICE
But they said an aristocrat!
THIRD
Damn, be quieter!
SECOND
Aristocrats don't have beards - moustaches!
(Peter the Great made this law to force westernization.)
FIRST
But long legs, like poles.
FOURTH
But look there on his hat - a watch!
FIFTH
Yeah, it's important!
SIXTH
And a gold chain...
SEVENTH
What do ya think? Is it expensive?
EIGHTH
It shines like the sun!
NINTH
But there's a dog - so so big!
Water runs from its tongue.
FIFTH
A gun! Look: two barrels,
A carved stock...
THIRD (with fear)
He sees!
FOURTH
Shut up! It's nothing! We'll look again, Grisha!
THIRD
He's gonna kill us...
My spies were frightened
And flung themselves away, like hearing a person
A flock of sparrows flies from chaff.
I was quiet, squinted - once again they appeared.
Eyes flashed in the gaps.
Write poetry - life is easy.
Yesterday, tired out from walking in the swamp,
I wandered into a shed and fell deeply asleep.
I awoke. Between the wide slats of the shed
The happy rays of the sun are visible.
Pigeons coo; flying over roofs,
Cry young rooks.
There's another kind of bird flying too -
By its shadow I'm certain that it's a raven!
Oh! Some kind of whisper... and there is a row
Along the slats of attentive eyes!
All gray, brown, blue eyes -
Mixed like in a field of flowers.
In them, there is such calm, freedom, and sweetness,
In them, such sacred goodness!
I love the expression in children's eyes,
I'd recognize it anywhere.
I froze: soul touched by tenderness...
Oh! Another whisper!
FIRST VOICE
Beard!
SECOND VOICE
But they said an aristocrat!
THIRD
Damn, be quieter!
SECOND
Aristocrats don't have beards - moustaches!
(Peter the Great made this law to force westernization.)
FIRST
But long legs, like poles.
FOURTH
But look there on his hat - a watch!
FIFTH
Yeah, it's important!
SIXTH
And a gold chain...
SEVENTH
What do ya think? Is it expensive?
EIGHTH
It shines like the sun!
NINTH
But there's a dog - so so big!
Water runs from its tongue.
FIFTH
A gun! Look: two barrels,
A carved stock...
THIRD (with fear)
He sees!
FOURTH
Shut up! It's nothing! We'll look again, Grisha!
THIRD
He's gonna kill us...
My spies were frightened
And flung themselves away, like hearing a person
A flock of sparrows flies from chaff.
I was quiet, squinted - once again they appeared.
Eyes flashed in the gaps.
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