Somewhere there is a simple life and a world...

[mswyrr]

"Somewhere There is a Simple Life"
Anna Akhmatova

Somewhere there is a simple life and a world,
Transparent, warm and joyful. . .
There at evening a neighbor talks with a girl
Across the fence, and only the bees can hear
This most tender murmuring of all.

But we live ceremoniously and with difficulty
And we observe the rites of our bitter meetings,
When suddenly the reckless wind
Breaks off a sentence just begun --

But not for anything would we exchange this splendid
Granite city of fame and calamity,
The wide rivers of glistening ice,
The sunless, gloomy gardens,
And, barely audible, the Muse's voice.

June 23, 1915
-- translated by Judith Hemschemeyer

Originally published (in Russian) in the book White Flock, 1917.

Comments

[edellin.livejournal.com]

How beautiful! The last part especially ... so true... All these small things make something gorgeous!

I've always adored Anna's work

[mirmusing.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reviving my recollections. M

[lyryk.livejournal.com]

That is just beautiful, thank you. *goes off to read more Akhmatova*

[mswyrr]

That yearning, yes! I've been feeling that, too, which reminded me of the poem. She touches it so neatly with this.

thank you for introducing me to her work.

You're welcome! :D I am happy to be able to share her work! She's written so many good poems, I could recommend them all, but you might like "Wild Honey" in particular.

Wild honey has the scent of freedom,
dust--of a ray of sun,
a girl's mouth--of a violet,
and gold--has no perfume.

Watery--the mignonette,
and like an apple--love,
but we have found out forever
that blood smells only of blood.

1933
--Translated by Jane Kenyon