Monday, May 16, 2011

Like a sudden cloud’s shadow

Like a sudden cloud’s shadow,

a sea-visitor swoops by

rippling past with a sigh,

along the embarrassed coast.


An enormous sail lifts austerely,

deathly-white, and the wave

shrinks back – not yet brave

enough to hug the shore so nearly:


and the boat, rustling the waves,

like leaves…


Osip Emilyevich Mandelstam