M.Lermontov, Aul Bastunji - Translation (Rus.) Poem by Lyudmila Purgina

Aul Bastunji
(*aul is the name of village of the moslim peoples)
by Mikhail Yurievich Lermonyov

1.
To you, great Caucasus - the proud tzar of earth, -
I carry verse inardvertent again,
Do bless it, as your son, once more,
With a canopy of your white-snow head!
From early years in my blood I feel
The turmoil of your heat, so storming,
And even in the north I live,
Only to you my heart's devoted!

Your notched ridges took me all to realm
Of hurricane, but you, at least, was cherishing
Me with your blue-haze hard embrace,
And from the top I looked in ecstasy
On mountains, that underneath
Were like the body of a giant,
Overgrown all with greens,
With moss and grass - the old heaps
In wild steppe, far seen!

3
Above my childish head, as a wreath,
The grey-haired clouds coiled in rings;
When thunder, roaring, sailed on them,
As quards, awakened from a sleep,
All caves were hailing around;
I was aware of the sounds deep,
I flied up to the heaven with my soul
On chariot of storm, excited all!

4
The world had sentenced soul to negligence,
It was of no need - the darkness of her chasm
Is similar to the eternity, invisible
For any living in this country eye...
And there exist the memoirs about
The real country and the holy one,
But inconceivably distant.
Not light, nor rustle of the earth could drive
The thoughts of her! ... I'm your's, my dear!
And everywhere, where is my life!

(to be continued)