Poem of the Week

Samuel Coleridge is one of the classical British poets of the XVIII century. The founder of the Romantic Movement in the English literature, all his life he suffered from depression and opium addiction, but he is loved by  a lot of readers because of his light and melodious verses. Like the one titled 'Song' we offer you for reading today!

A Sunny shaft did I behold,

From sky to earth it slanted:

And poised therein a bird so bold--

Sweet bird, thou wert enchanted!

He sank, he rose, he twinkled, he trolled 

Within that shaft of sunny mist;

His eyes of fire, his beak of gold,

All else of amethyst!

And thus he sang: 'Adieu! adieu!

Love's dreams prove seldom true. 

The blossoms they make no delay:

The sparkling dew-drops will not stay.

Sweet month of May,

We must away;

Far, far away! 

To-day! to-day!'

Я увидала столб огня,
    До неба вознесенный.
В нем птичка реяла, звеня, --
    Певец завороженный.

В тумане светлом утонув,
    Он вился, ярок и лучист,
Глаза -- огонь, червонный клюв,
    А перья - аметист.

И так он пел: "Прости, прости!
О прошлом не грусти.
Цветов увядших не вернуть,
Росинкам дважды не сверкнуть.
    Май, счастлив  будь!
       Пора нам в путь,
          В далекий путь!
             Прощай!  Забудь!"

Перевод Михаила Лозинского