Oh Masters

Oh, Masters, you who rule the world,

Will you not wait with me awhile,

When swords are sheathed and sails are furled,

And all the fields with harvest smile?

I would not waste your time for long,

I ask you but, when you are tired,

To read how by the weak, the strong

Are weighed and worshipped and desired.

When weary of the Mart, the Loom,

The Withering-house, the Riffle-blocks,

The Barrack-square, the Engine-room,

The pick-axe, ringing on the rocks,–

When tents are pitched and work is done,

While restful twilight broods above,

By fresh-lit lamp, or dying sun,

See in my songs how women love.

We shared your lonely watch by night,

We knew you faithful at the helm,

Our thoughts went with you through the fight,

That saved a soul,–or wrecked a realm

Ah, how our hearts leapt forth to you,

In pride and joy, when you prevailed,

And when you died, serene and true:

–We wept in silence when you failed!

Oh, brain that did not gain the gold!

Oh, arm, that could not wield the sword,

Here is the love, that is not sold,

Here are the hearts to hail you Lord!

You played and lost the game? What then?

The rules are harsh and hard we know,

You, still, Oh, brothers, are the men

Whom we in secret reverence so.

Your work was waste? Maybe your share

Lay in the hour you laughed and kissed;

Who knows but what your son shall wear

The laurels that his father missed?

Ay, you who win, and you who lose,

Whether you triumph,–or despair,–

When your returning footsteps choose

The homeward track, our love is there.

For, since the world is ordered thus,

To you the fame, the stress, the sword,

We can but wait, until to us

You give yourselves, for our reward.

To Whaler’s deck and Coral beach,

To lonely Ranch and Frontier-Fort,

Beyond the narrow bounds of speech

I lay the cable of my thought.

I fain would send my thanks to you,

(Though who am I, to give you praise?)

Since what you are, and work you do,

Are lessons for our easier ways.

‘Neath alien stars your camp-fires glow,

I know you not,–your tents are far.

My hope is but in song to show,

How honoured and dear you are.

Poetry Monster – Home

A few random poems:

External links

Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry by Fledermaus

Talking Writing Monster’s Page –

Batty Writing – the bat’s idle chatter, thoughts, ideas and observations, all original, all fresh

Poems in English 

• Николай Рубцов – Зимняя песня by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Жеребенок by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Загородил мою дорогу by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Я тебя целовал by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Хороший улов by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Возвращение из рейса by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Воробей by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Ветер всхлипывал, словно дитя by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Рубцов – Весна на берегу Бии by Николай Рубцов
• Николай Огарев – Я сорвал ветку кипариса by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Хандра by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Выпьем, что ли, Ваня by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – В прогулке поздней видел я by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Тебе я счастья не давал довольно by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Свисти ты, о ветер, с бессонною силой by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Смутные мгновенья by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – С полуночи ветер холодный подул by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Расстались мы by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Прощанье с краем, откуда не уезжал by Николай Огарев
• Николай Огарев – Предисловие к колоколу by Николай Огарев

More external links (open in a new tab):

Russian Commerce Agency

Dealing Monster

Doska or the Board – write anything

Search engines:

Yandex – the best search engine for searches in Russian (and the best overall image search engine, in any language, anywhere)

Qwant – the best search engine for searches in French, German as well as Romance and Germanic languages.

Ecosia – a search engine that supposedly… plants trees

Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.

Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.

 

Parallel Translations of Poetry

Poems by Author and Category

The Poetry Repository – an online library of poems, poetry, verse and poetic works