The Muse By Anna Akhmatova

THE MUSE by Anna Akhmatova This is my English translation of a Russian poem by Anna Akhmatova… The MUSE by Anna Akhmatova loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch My being hangs by a thread tonight as I await a Muse no human pen can command. The desires of my heart — youth, liberty, glory — now depend on the Maid with the flute in her hand. Look! Now she arrives; she flings back her veil; I meet her grave eyes — calm, implacable, pitiless. “Temptress, confess! Are you the one who gave Dante hell?” She answers, “Yes.” Anna Akhmatova was a great Russian poet, and a personal favorite of mine... The evening light is broad and yellow by Anna Akhmatova loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch The evening light is broad and yellow; it glides in on an April rain. You arrived years late, yet I’m glad you came. Please sit down here, beside me, receive me with welcoming eyes. Here is my blue notebook with my childhood poems inside. Forgive me if I lived in sorrow, spent too little time rejoicing in the sun. Forgive, forgive, me, if I mistook others for you, when you were the One. I have also translated this tribute poem written by Marina Tsvetaeva for Anna Akhmatova: Excerpt from “Poems for Akhmatova” by Marina Tsvetaeva loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch You outshine everything, even the sun at its zenith. The stars are yours! If only I could sweep like the wind through some unbarred door, gratefully, to where you are... to hesitantly stammer, suddenly shy, lowering my eyes before you, my lovely mistress, petulant, chastened, overcome by tears, as a child sobs to receive forgiveness... Keywords/Tags: Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Russia, Russian, translation, English translation, Muse, thread, pen, heart, flute, veil, Dante, hell, confess, confession, sun, stars, poems, poetry, poets, writing, blue notebook, notebook, journal