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Шчасце Наталля Аляксееўна Арсеньнева Шчасце — як сонца: маленькая хмарка пройдзе па небе ціхім сярод дня, — сонца ўжо свеціць так жутла, няярка, момант — і сонца няма. Шчасце — як вішняў вясняныя краскі: вецер павее, заплача вясна, — сыплюцца снегам на дол яны гразкі, момант — і красак няма. Шчасце — як светлыя, ясныя мары: рэзкае слова, заўвага адна, — і дагараюць яны у пажары, момант — і мараў няма.

Happiness by Natalla Arsiennieva Happiness is like the sun. Gently gliding, A little cloud into the bright sky will come, And the sun shines at once dimly, unbrightly, Swiftly the sunlight is gone. Happiness is like the spring cherry-flowers. And the wind blows and the spring starts to mourn, Down to the mud petals fall in snow showers. Swiftly the blossoms are gone. Happiness is like our fair and bright daydreams, And a harsh word comes, a comment, just one, And straightway into a fire they are blazing, Swiftly the daydreams are gone.

Written:   1923, Слонім

• The preceding English translation is copyright ©2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, by Vera Rich.

This poem was included as part of the essay that was originally presented as part of the Conference, " The Role of the Belarusian Diaspora in Preserving and Developing Belarusian Culture," Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum, London, 29-30 September, 2001. Part of Conference publication published in 2003 (Skaryna Library, London), pages 79-91, and in the version published in 2004 ("BelFrance", Minsk; ISBN: 985-6425-27-1), pp. 61-70.

• The Belarusian language version is from Наталля Арсеннева: Выбраныя творы, Minsk, 2002, page 61.

Упершыню — час. «Студэнцкая думка», 1925, № 1.

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Also see the other Natalla Arsiennieva poems on Dz'micier Zinowjew's Belarusian Poetry Web site.

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