The Black Shawl poem – Alexander Pushkin

A poem by Alexander Pushkin – Pouchkine, Pooshkin (1799-1837), in English translation

As of senses bereft, at a black shawl I stare,

And my chill heart is tortured with deadly despair.

When dreaming too fondly in credulous youth,

I loved a Greek maiden with passion and truth.

My Greek girl was gentle and loving and fair;

But my joy quickly sank in a day of despair.

Once I feasted gay friends; ere the banquet was o’er

A Jew, the accursed, softly knocked at my door.

“Thou art laughing,” he whispered,”in pleasure’s mad whirl;

But she hath betrayed thee, thy young Grecian girl.”

I cursed him; but gold as a guerdon I gave,

And took as companion my trustiest slave.

My swift charger I mounted; at once we depart,

And the soft voice of pity was stilled in my heart.

The Greek maiden’s dwelling I hardly could mark,

For my limbs they grew faint, and my eyes they grew dark.

I silently entered-alone and amazed;

An Armenian was kissing the girl as I gazed.

I saw not the light; but I seized my good blade;

The betrayer ne’er finished the kiss that betrayed.

On his warm, headless body I trampled, then spurn’d,

And silent and pale to the maiden I turned.

I remember her prayers-in her blood how she strove;

Then perished my Greek girl-then perished my love.

I tore the black shawl from her head as she lay,

Wiped the blood-dripping weapon, and hurried away.

When the mists of the evening rose gloomy, my slave

Threw each corpse in the Danube’s dark fastrolling wave.

Since then no bewildering eyes can delight;

Since then I forbear festive banquets at night.

As of senses bereft, at a black shawl I stare,

And my chill heart is tortured with deadly despair.

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Poems in English 

• The War Films by Sir Henry Newbolt by Poetry In English
• The Black Hawk War of the Artists by Vachel Lindsay by Poetry In English
• Repression of War Experience by Siegfried Sassoon by Poetry In English
• Epitaph On An Army of Mercenaries by A. E. Housman by Poetry In English
• CIA Dope Calypso by Allen Ginsberg by Poetry In English
• A Day on the Beach of War by Tony Stringfellow by Poetry In English
• The Paint-Kings by Washington Allston by Poetry In English
• Rosalie by Washington Allston by Poetry In English
• On The Luxembourg Gallery by Washington Allston by Poetry In English
• Eccentricity by Washington Allston by Poetry In English
• Art by Washington Allston by Poetry In English
• America To Great Britain by Washington Allston by Poetry In English
• Year’s End by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• The Upstairs Room by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• The Smiles Of The Bathers by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• The Furies by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• The Doctor Will Return by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• The Bell From Europe by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• The Beach by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees
• Round by Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees

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