Speaking In Tongues
Scribbling In Voices


ARSENIY TARKOVSKY

THE FIRST RENDEZVOUS

ÀÐÑÅÍÈÉ ÒÀÐÊÎÂÑÊÈÉ

ÏÅÐÂÛÅ ÑÂÈÄÀÍÈß


Translated by Maya Jouravel

© Translation, Maya Jouravel, 1994-1998


Each moment was for us a celebration

As ceremony of the consecration —

Just us in the whole world... You would spring

— More daringly and lightly then a wing --

Along the stairs — though giddy fourth dimension.

You hurried down where you would bring

Me right behind the looking glass reflection —-

To your domain inside the lilac spring.


Then, when the night came down, I was the favor

Granted. Ajar were Royal gates...

There — in the darkness shimmered

And slowly leaned — the shiny nakedness.

And when awake, «Be blessed» I told you, darling,

Yet realizing rather was too daring

My benediction: while you were asleep,

The blue of the whole universe was striving

To touch with lilac blossom your eyelids.

Touched by the blue, your eyelids were peaceful,

And hands were warm upon the coverlet.


While in the crystal, rivers were pulsing,

Seas glimmering, rocks fuming to the skies...

And you were holding in your palms the crown

On crystal sphere, while sleeping on the throne...

And — Oh, God gracious! — You belonged to me.


Your waking up brought me the new sensation

Of daily, usual, and simple tongue...

The speech's been loaded with sonorous passion,

Up to the neck. And the word you, when mentioned,

Was re-defined — and now meant: the king.

The world around us has grandly altered:

And — even simple things — like: sink and jug,

When right between us firm and filmy water

Is situated just as the watchdog.


We were lead around as moonstruck —

And welcomed by the phantoms of the towns —

Before our eyes stupendously erect —

The tender mint under our feet has fallen,

When we along with morning birds were strolling —

And fishes, with us, up the river went --

And — right in front of us — the skies has opened...


When destiny in our steps has trodden,

Like madman with the razor in his hand.

Ñâèäàíèé íàøèõ êàæäîå ìãíîâåíüå

Ìû ïðàçäíîâàëè, êàê áîãîÿâëåíüå,

Îäíè íà öåëîì ñâåòå. Òû áûëà

Ñìåëåé è ëåã÷å ïòè÷üåãî êðûëà,

Ïî ëåñòíèöå, êàê ãîëîâîêðóæåíüå,

×åðåç ñòóïåíü ñáåãàëà è âåëà

Ñêâîçü âëàæíóþ ñèðåíü â ñâîè âëàäåíüÿ

Ñ òîé ñòîðîíû çåðêàëüíîãî ñòåêëà.


Êîãäà íàñòàëà íî÷ü, áûëà ìíå ìèëîñòü

Äàðîâàíà, àëòàðíûå âðàòà

Îòâîðåíû, è â òåìíîòå ñâåòèëàñü

È ìåäëåííî êëîíèëàñü íàãîòà,

È, ïðîñûïàÿñü: «Áóäü áëàãîñëîâåííà!» —

ß ãîâîðèë, è çíàë, ÷òî äåðçíîâåííî

Ìîå áëàãîñëîâåíüå: òû ñïàëà,

È òðîíóòü âåêè ñèíåâîé âñåëåííîé

Ê òåáå ñèðåíü òÿíóëàñü ñî ñòîëà,

È ñèíåâîþ òðîíóòûå âåêè

Ñïîêîéíû áûëè, è ðóêà òåïëà.


À â õðóñòàëå ïóëüñèðîâàëè ðåêè,

Äûìèëèñü ãîðû, áðåçæèëè ìîðÿ,

È òû äåðæàëà ñôåðó íà ëàäîíè

Õðóñòàëüíóþ, è òû ñïàëà íà òðîíå,

È — áîæå ïðàâûé! — òû áûëà ìîÿ.


Òû ïðîáóäèëàñü è ïðåîáðàçèëà

Âñåäíåâíûé ÷åëîâå÷åñêèé ñëîâàðü,

È ðå÷ü ïî ãîðëî ïîëíîçâó÷íîé ñèëîé

Íàïîëíèëàñü, è ñëîâî òû ðàñêðûëî

Ñâîé íîâûé ñìûñë è îçíà÷àëî: öàðü.

Íà ñâåòå âñå ïðåîáðàçèëîñü, äàæå

Ïðîñòûå âåùè — òàç, êóâøèí, — êîãäà

Ñòîÿëà ìåæäó íàìè, êàê íà ñòðàæå,

Ñëîèñòàÿ è òâåðäàÿ âîäà.


Íàñ ïîâåëî íåâåäîìî êóäà.

Ïðåä íàìè ðàññòóïàëèñü, êàê ìèðàæè,

Ïîñòðîåííûå ÷óäîì ãîðîäà,

Ñàìà ëîæèëàñü ìÿòà íàì ïîä íîãè,

È ïòèöàì ñ íàìè áûëî ïî äîðîãå,

È ðûáû ïîäûìàëèñü ïî ðåêå,

È íåáî ðàçâåðíóëîñü ïðåä ãëàçàìè...


Êîãäà ñóäüáà ïî ñëåäó øëà çà íàìè,

Êàê ñóìàñøåäøèé ñ áðèòâîþ â ðóêå.