THE IVIES

Original lyrics by Tatyana Koroliova
Translated by Alexei Markov

Where the daisies smell like old grandfather’s ale
Where the ivies twine upon the cornerstone
Where the sky is mirrored in the village well
Forest creeks are slowly flowing on and on
(The) winds* are blowing over old roofs

Do unlock the door and host your tired guests
We are starving; we are covered with the dust
Ivy leaves again are flowing through my hands
We grew up here in our old forgotten past

Let me walk out to the flower-honey fields
Let me drive the gloom far off my hurting chest
Wanna see the spinning of the old windmills
Wanna go and watch how all these bush birds nest
Can you hear me in the high, Sun?

Sure, you know it all without my bitter groans
How his worlds did wound me like sharp whipping hails
How the summer dawns were growing boiling-hot
How the shooting stars were leaving fading tails

The Sun dried up the poignancy inside
The ivies will grow leafy very soon
At the table I spend my late hair-grey midnight
Waiting for a wiser, brighter forenoon

Here the daisies smell like old grandfather’s ale
Here the ivies twine upon the cornerstone
Here the sky is mirrored in the village well
Forest creeks are slowly flowing on and on