Love

Despair

by Alexander Pushkin 1799–1837

Translated by Ivan Panin (1888) · From Poems (Panin, 1888)

Love

Dear my friend, we are now parted,
My soul's asleep; I grieve in silence.
Gleams the day behind the mountain blue,
Or rises the night with moon autumnal,--
Still thee I seek, my far off friend,
Thee alone remember I everywhere,
Thee alone in restless sleep I see.
Pauses my mind, unwittingly thee I call;
Listens mine ear, then thy voice I hear.

And thou my lyre, my despair dost share,
Of sick my soul companion thou!
Hollow is and sad the sound of thy string,
Grief's sound alone hast not forgot....
Faithful lyre, with me grieve thou!
Let thine easy note and careless
Sing of love mine and despair,
And while listening to thy singing
May thoughtfully the maidens sigh!

MLA

Pushkin, Alexander. “Despair.” Translated by Ivan Panin. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/pushkin/39/.

Chicago

Pushkin, Alexander. “Despair.” Translated by Ivan Panin. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/pushkin/39/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Alexander Pushkin