Love
Song
Translated by John Bowring · From Specimens of the Russian Poets, 1821
Golden bee! for ever sighing,
Round and round my Delia flying;
Ever in attendance near her:
Dost thou really love her, fear her,
Dost thou love her,
Golden bee?
Erring insect! he supposes,
That her lips are morning roses:
Breathing sweets from Delia’s tresses,
He would probe their fair recesses.
Purest sugar
Is her breast!
Golden bee! for ever sighing,
Ever round my Delia flying;
Is it thou so softly speaking?
Thine the gentle accents breaking,
“Drink I dare not,
Lest I die!”
Cite this poem
MLA
Derzhavin, Gavrila. “Song.” Translated by John Bowring. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/derzhavin/5/.
Chicago
Derzhavin, Gavrila. “Song.” Translated by John Bowring. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/derzhavin/5/.
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