A Naïve Zealot of the Alien…

A naïve zealot of the alien countries
And of his own – an accuser, tireless,
I was proclaiming: in the land of mine,
Where can we find a genius, a right mind?
Where is a citizen with soul high-elated,
The noble one and with flamed freedom sated,
Where is a woman, which beauty’s not cold
But charming, living, fire-like and bold?
Where can I find the easy conversation?
The brilliant, convivial, educational?
With whom not cold and empty can I be?
My fatherland I almost could not bear –
But yesterday Galitsina was there –
And there’s a peace between my land and me.

Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, Mach 30, 2005