Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin <br />The Prophet <br /> <br />I dragged my flesh through desert gloom, <br />Tormented by the spirit’s yearning, <br />And saw a six-winged Seraph loom <br />Upon the footpath’s barren turning. <br /> <br />And as a dream in slumber lies <br />So light his finger on my eyes,— <br />My wizard eyes grew wide and wary: <br />An eagle’s, startled from her eyrie. <br /> <br />He touched my ears, and lo! a sea <br />Of storming voices burst on me. <br />I heard the whirling heavens’ tremor, <br />The angels’ flight and soaring sweep, <br />The sea-snakes coiling in the deep, <br />The sap the vine’s green tendrils carry. <br /> <br />And to my lips the Seraph clung <br />And tore from me my sinful tongue, <br />My cunning tongue and idle-worded; <br />The subtle serpent’s sting he set <br />Between my lips—his hand was wet, <br />His bloody hand my mouth begirded. <br /> <br />And with a sword he cleft my breast <br />And took the heart with terror turning, <br />And in my gaping bosom pressed <br />A coal that throbbed there, black and burning. <br />Upon the wastes, a lifeless clod, <br />I lay, and heard the voice of God: <br /> <br />“Arise, oh prophet, watch and hearken, <br />And with my Will thy soul engird, <br />Through lands that dim and seas that darken, <br />Burn thou men’s hearts with this, my Word.” <br />1825 <br /> <br />Translated by Avrahm Yarmolinsky (1921) <br />Illustration : Mikhail Vrubel (1905) <br /> <br />Our site: http://www.le-russe.net/ <br />Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeRusseFr <br />Twitter: https://twitter.com/RusseFr <br />Google+ : https://plus.google.com/+LerusseNetFr/posts <br /> <br />Russian podcast. Russian poetry reading. <br />РКИ русский язык как иностранный <br />Russian poetry. Russian podcast. Learn russian language.
