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Poetry

An Uncoincidence, a Noncoincidence

By Larissa Miller
Translated from Russian by Richard McKane

An uncoincidence, a noncoincidence.
Oh, how broad are the earth’s estates,
oh, how unthinkable is grace here.
How unobtrusive is God’s care,
how many reasons to sob inconsolably.
You thirst for communication—the time is mute.
You thirst for flight—unflyable weather.
You thirst for an answer—a blind wall,
stagnant water, swampy duckweed
and someone’s cold back.
What’s left then? To resign and to pine,
to comprehend too late, to repent with a delay . . .
the eternal gap between then and now . . .
Someone rushes to a house that’s been moved away,
searches desperately for the old door.

Copyright Larissa Miller. Translation copyright 2011 by Richard McKane. All rights reserved.

English Russian (Original)

An uncoincidence, a noncoincidence.
Oh, how broad are the earth’s estates,
oh, how unthinkable is grace here.
How unobtrusive is God’s care,
how many reasons to sob inconsolably.
You thirst for communication—the time is mute.
You thirst for flight—unflyable weather.
You thirst for an answer—a blind wall,
stagnant water, swampy duckweed
and someone’s cold back.
What’s left then? To resign and to pine,
to comprehend too late, to repent with a delay . . .
the eternal gap between then and now . . .
Someone rushes to a house that’s been moved away,
searches desperately for the old door.

Несовпадение, несовпадение

Несовпадение, несовпадение.
О, как обширны земные владения,
О, как немыслима здесь благодать.
Как ненавязчиво Божье радение,
Сколько причин безутешно рыдать.
Жаждешь общения – время немотное.
Жаждешь полёта – погода нелётная.
Жаждешь ответа – глухая стена,
Воды стоячие, ряска болотная,
Да равнодушная чья-то спина.
Что ж остаётся? Смириться да маяться,
Поздно прозреть, с опозданьем раскаяться…
Вечный зазор меж тогда и теперь…
Кто-то к снесённому дому кидается,
Ищет в отчаянье старую дверь.

                                                 1989


Copyright Larissa Miller.

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