Pushkin: "To...." (From Russian)

To....
By Alexander Pushkin
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Russian

I still recall a wonder vision.
The moment you before me shone,
A fleeting Genius apparition,
A perfect beauty paragon.

Through hopeless sorrow that oppressed me,
Through life's alarm and senseless schemes
That caring voice and soul caressed me,
And that dear face would fill my dreams.

Years passed. The stormwinds whirled against me,
Scattering former dreams of grace,
And I forgot your voice caressed me,
Forgot your beatific face.

In wastes, away...in isolation
My days trudged on through quiet years,
No sense of God.... no inspiration
No sense of life.... no love....no tears.

The soul awakened to a vision.
Before me once again you shone:
A fleeting genius apparition,
A perfect beauty paragon.

The heart now bounds in exaltation.
In resurrection reappears
The sense of God.....and inspiration
And sense of life...and love...and tears

The Original:

К....
Александр Пушкин

Я помню чудное мгновенье:

Передо мной явилась ты,

Какъ мимолетное видѣнье,

Какъ генiй чистой красоты.

Въ томленьяхъ грусти безнадежной

Въ тревогахъ шумной суеты,

Звучалъ мнѣ долго голосъ нѣжной

И снились милыя черты.

Шли годы. Бурь порывъ мятежной

Разсѣялъ прежнiя мечты,

И я забылъ твой голосъ нѣжной,

Твои небесныя черты.

Въ глуши, во мракѣ заточенья

Тянулись тихо дни мои

Безъ божества, безъ вдохновенья,

Безъ слезъ, безъ жизни, безъ любви.

Душѣ настало пробужденье:

И вотъ опять явилась ты,

Какъ мимолетное видѣнье,

Какъ генiй чистой красоты.

И сердце бьется въ упоеньѣ,

И для него воскресли вновь

И божество, и вдохновенье,

И жизнь, и слезы, и любовь.