< Modern Russian Poetry
​

SAINT SEBASTIAN[1]

On slow and smoky fire thou burn'st and art consuméd,
⁠Oh, thou, my soul.
On slow and smoky fire thou burn'st and art consuméd,
⁠With hidden dole.

Thou droopest like Sebastian, pierced with pointed arrows,
⁠Harassed and spent,
Thou droopest like Sebastian, pierced with pointed arrows,
⁠Thy flesh all rent.

Thy foes encircle thee and watch with gleeful laughter
⁠And bended bow,
Thy foes encircle thee and watch with gleeful laughter
⁠Thy torments slow.

The embers burn, and gentle is the arrow's stinging,
⁠'Neath the evening sky,
The embers burn, and gentle is the arrow's stinging,
⁠When the end draws nigh.

Why hastens not thy dream unto thy lips, now pallid
⁠With deadly drouth?
Why hastens not thy dream unto thy lips, now pallid
⁠To kiss thy mouth?

  1. ↑ Tr. by Avrahm Yarmolinsky.
      This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.
    Original:

    This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1927.

    The author died in 1924, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 95 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

     
    Translation:

    This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1927. It may be copyrighted outside the U.S. (see Help:Public domain).

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