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Маладым Паэтам Наталля Аляксееўна Арсеньнева Вам дадзелі пакора, цярплівасць i Бог, як старцы, вы па шчасце не цягнеце жмені. Вершы вашыя пугамі б'юць па людзёх, агнявымі маланкамі паляць сумленні. Я б хацела гарэць i змагацца, як вы, разам з вамі каваць так чаканае ранне, але дні мае іншыя маюць правы: сыпкім золатам ліпаў маняць i цыганяць. Мае дні             над аржоннем цвітуць туманом i плывуць серабраным удаль павучыннем, i звіняць алавяным асеннім дажджом, i ў лясох верасамі мядзянымі стынуць. Нібы жоўтая восень,                                 стаю над жыццём i гляджу на яго, хоць навокал — змаганне. мае вершы — над сонным балотам трысцё, ймгла сівая асенняга рання...

To Young Poets by Natalla Arsiennieva You have cast off humility, patience and God, Stretch no hand to your future with a beggar's yearning. Your verse strikes at people as with whip or rod, And with lightning fires it sets the conscience burning. I should like to blaze like you, to strive and fight, At your side to forge the long-awaited dawning. But these days of mine posses far different rights, With the linden's drifting gold, attracting, drawing. My days flower like mist above fields shorn of grain. Sail into the distance of the cobwebs' silver. Chime with the tin-bright notes of autumnal rain. In the copper heather of the woods, grow chilly. Like the golden autumn, above life I stand, Gazing down on it. Though struggle round me wars now, My verse drifts across the marshes' drowsy span, Like grisaille of mist upon an autumn morning.

Written:   1936 (Ravič)

• The preceding English translation is copyright ©1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, & 2006, by Vera Rich. The poem previously appeared in Manifold Magazine, No. 29, Spring, 1998, p. 20.

This poem was also 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 101.

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

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