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 

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• Addressed To Miss Macartney, Afterwards Mrs. Greville, On Reading The Prayer For Indifference by William Cowper by William Cowper
• Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 5. by William Cowper by William Cowper
• Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 4. by William Cowper by William Cowper
• Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 3. by William Cowper by William Cowper
• Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 2. by William Cowper by William Cowper
• Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 1. by William Cowper by William Cowper
• A Tale. June 1793 by William Cowper by William Cowper
• A Tale, Founded On A Fact, Which Happened In January, 1779 by William Cowper by William Cowper
• A Song : The Sparkling Eye by William Cowper by William Cowper
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• A Poetical Epistle To Lady Austen by William Cowper by William Cowper
• A Manual, More Ancient Than The Art Of Printing, And Not To Be Found In Any Catalogue by William Cowper by William Cowper
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