| Deutsch and Yarmolinsky, comps. Modern Russian Poetry. 1921. | | | | Russia | | By Alexander Blok (1880–1921) |
| | | TO sin, unshamed, to lose, unthinking, | |
| The count of careless nights and days, | |
| And then, while the head aches with drinking, | |
| Steal to God’s house, with eyes that glaze; | |
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| Thrice to bow down to earth, and seven | 5 |
| Times cross oneself beside the door, | |
| With the hot brow, in hope of heaven, | |
| Touching the spittle-covered floor; | |
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| With a brass farthing’s gift dismissing | |
| The offering, the holy Name | 10 |
| To mutter with loose lips, in kissing | |
| The ancient, kiss-worn icon-frame; | |
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| And coming home, then, to be tricking | |
| Some wretch out of the same small coin, | |
| And with an angry hiccup, kicking | 15 |
| A lean cur in his trembling groin; | |
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| And where the icon’s flame is quaking | |
| Drink tea, and reckon loss and gain, | |
| From the fat chest of drawers taking | |
| The coupons wet with spittle-stain; | 20 |
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| And sunk in feather-beds to smother | |
| In slumber, such as bears may know, | |
| Dearer to me than every other | |
| Are you, my Russia, even so. | | | | |
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