| Alexander Sergeevich (Aleksandr Sergeyevich) Pushkin TO THE SLANDERERS OF RUSSIA Why rave ye, babblers, so — ye lords of popular wonder ? Why such anathemas 'gainst Russia do you thunder ? What moves your idle rage? Is't Poland's fallen pride? 'T is but Slavonic kin among themselves contending, An ancient household strife, oft judged but still unending, A question which, be sure, you never can decide. For ages past still have contended, These races, though so near allied: And oft 'neath Victory's storm has bended Now their, and now our side. Which shall stand fast in such commotion The haughty Liakh, or faithful Russ? And shall Slavonic streams meet in a Russian ocean? - Or il't dry up? This is point for us. Leave us!: Your eyes are all unable To read our history's bloody table; Strange in your sight and dark must be Our springs of household enmity! To you the Kreml and Prága's tower Are voiceless all, you mark the fate And daring of the battle-hour And understand us not, but hate. What stirs ye ? Is it that this nation, On Moscow's flaming walls, blood-slaked and ruin-quench'd, Spurn'd back the insolent dictation Of Him before whose nod ye blenched? Is it that into dust we shatter'd, The Dagon that weigh'd down all earth so wearily, And our best blood so freely scatter'd, To buy for Europe peace and liberty? Ye're bold of tongue — but hark, would ye in deed but try it Or is the hero, now reclined in laurelled quiet, Too weak to fix once more, Izmail's red bayonet? Or ... |
