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Marina Tsvetaeva: The Horn of Roland (From Russian)

I am not happy with this version. But here goes.

The Horn of Roland
By Marina Tsvetaeva
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

So as a sorry jester telling of the wicked weight
Of his hump, do I tell the tale of this my orphaned state.
Behind a prince, his kin. Behind a seraph, seraphim.
Behind each one there are a thousand others just like him,
To reassure him, when he staggers, with a living wall
Of thousands to fall back on, to be backup should he fall!

The soldier's proud of his brigade; the demon, of hell's rungs.  
Behind the thief come thugs. Behind the jester? Just that hump. 
So, tired of holding on to consciousness of being quite
Alone, and singled out for no fate other than to fight 
Under the boo and hiss of philistines, and fools' catcalls,
As one for all � one among all � alone against them all
I stand to blow the horn, and � petrified from flight � I send
One blaring call through empty distance hoping for a friend 

And this fire in the breast is warrant that I'm not alone
But that some Charlemagne shall hear your call and answer, Horn!

-March 1921



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