Sergey Esenin
Oh, what a night! I cannot sleep.
The sky is moonlit. Well, I never!
It seems that I in my heart I keep
The youth that has been gone for ever.

My friend of frosted bygone years,
Don’t call a game love and affection,
I’d rather have the moonlight rays
Flow down upon my habitation.

And looking down from above
Let it depict my features here, -
You cannot fall out of love
Just like you couldn’t love me, dear.

We only love just once, you know,
So you are alien to me, strangely,
Just like a lime tree, foot in snow,
Is trying to attract us, vainly.

I know it well, you know it, too,-
What we can see at this late hour
Is frost and snow appearing blue
And not the splendour of a flower.

We’we had our love, our time and day
Each having someone to admire,
And now we’re fated anyway
To play affection, love, desire.

Come now, caress me, hold me tight,
Kiss me with hot, pretended fervour,
And may I dream about the light
Of spring and love that lasts forever.

November 30th, 1925