Bezmelnitsin's Gallery :: Denis Bezmelnitsin : "Three Nights of the Moon"

Denis Bezmelnitsin

Three Nights of the Moon

Night I

When the moon is so low,
Hovering by an almond dove,
Almost touching water black;
Leaving yellow sallow track, -
Track ephem'ral, almost smoke;
Silently upon it go!
Flows the scent from maze of sleep,
"Sleeping seeker, pass through me!"
Tide does come, and come again -
Tide of night and sacrament.
Lonely rocks - the frozen tune -
Calm and dark under the moon,
Amid waters, dormant, stand -
In the night - the caravan misled.
Moon, then bends and saith to me,
"Sing with me this melody.
Do transmute into the moon
Heart, become then full..."

Go and rove after the moon,
For the ancient traces look!
How, swallow, do you fly?
- Never touching earth, - on high...

Night II

"Misty mirror, speak with me,
Signs of night to me reveal!"
I implored the smoking glass,
"Many days already pass'd,
Many lays did outsound,
But from thee still not a sound..."

Mirror shone, emerged the moon
On the smoking surface, "You
Are lacking patience, why?"
Lunar lady sighed...
Then she gave me vessel, said,
"There are many, many yet
Lakes of reed you need to find...
Take from each the water, hie!"

Lady then her tresses combed,
And has melted in the smoke...

Night III

I had woven cloth from ways,
I had writ upon it names
Of all ponds and pools I found -
They have mixed into compound;
Now my vessel is not void, -
It is filled with this alloy.
Only mirror shimm'ring in my room,
Lo, I see in it the moon. -
Lady clad in vesture white,
Like a fairy fabled bride.
"But tonight...
Is night of love and joy!
You to me have brought alloy! -
We shall make the lake of reed
By the Word, if He doth will..."
She said, "But now respond:

What hast thou learnt?"
- A silence.
- What hast thou lost?
- Vain desires and pride.
- What hast thou seen?
- A falcon on high.
- What hast thou gained?
- Lake of water and Name.

She smiled...
And said, "This night is thine..."

November 2021