Russian poetry in English
проект по английскому языку (7 класс)

We revolve the Earth (1972)

V. Vysotskii – in translation of A. Dobrohotova

At the border the planet slipped easily away–

It was painful, disastrous.

But commander then backwards reversed it again

Stepped on Urals, and span – he was reckless

And the order came to advance. To advance!

To advance, to return our morsels and inches

And I saw how the Sun travelled back, saw its dance

Saw it set at the Eastern sky’s edges

Why to measure the Earth with the length ot the steps?

Smashing flowers, flattening meadows?

 We revolve our planet off quickly instead -

 Push it off, off yourself, off us all, fast it goes!

And the wind from the East bends haystacks with all strength

And the flock hides in towering mountains

And we moved the Earth’s axis – imagine its length

Having changed the direction of constant attacks

Don’t be scared when see the sunset at wrong way

Judgment day is a tale for the old ones

Just we spin planet Earth at direction we aim –

Our regiments, all our soldiers

Crawling on we hug all tiny hillocks

Squeeze the bumps, and the evil oppose

And with knees push the Earth off its axis

Off us all, off it goes!

No one finds here no matter they really wish

Our soldiers surrendering

The alive benefit from cold corpses they meet

Under bodies protecting

Them

Stupid lead – will it find everybody at once?

At point-blank range? Or from the rear?

Someone leaned on the pillbox – the fire went out at once

Fоr a second Earth frozen appeared

With my feet left behind

Keep on crawling, meantime, grieve for fellows

With my elbows revolve mother Earth off its line

Off myself, off itself, off it goes, fast it goes

Someone stood at full height

With a bow took a bullet, inhaling,

To the West, to the West we are aiming tonight

Will the Sun in the East be ascending?

With the stomach at mud breath the stench of the swamp

Close eyes to the vapor

But the Sun moves all right from the East in the sky -

To the West we break through in hard labour

Are there legs? Are there hands?

Sipping dew at the lows

Pull the Earth by the stems

Off us all, off it goes!