Fifteen Boys

[mehinda.livejournal.com]

Fifteen Boys

Fifteen boys and, maybe, more,
or fewer than fifteen, maybe,
said to me
in frightened voices:
"Let's go to a movie or the Museum of Fine Arts."
I answered them more or less like this:
"I haven't time."
Fifteen boys presented me with snowdrops.
Fifteen boys in broken voices
said to me:
"I'll never stop loving you."
I answered them more or less like this:
"We'll see."

Fifteen boys are now living a quiet life.
They have done their heavy chores
of snowdrops, despair and writing letters.
Girls love them--
some more beautiful than me,

others less beautiful.
Fifteen boys with a show of freedom, and at times spite
salute me when we meet,
salute in me, when we meet,
their liberation, normal sleep and regular meals.

In vain you come to me, last boy.
I shall place your snowdrops in a glass of water,
and silver bubbles will cover
their stocky stems . . .
But, you see, you too will cease to love me,
and, mastering yourself, you'll talk in a superior way,
as though you'd mastered me,
and I'll walk off down the street, down the street . . .

~Bella Akhmadulina, trans. George Reavey

Comments

[doublehelix.livejournal.com]

it makes me uncomfortable.

certainly not for lack of quality.

[inertiam.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I like this one ever so much.