http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T9h9-lFmRY&feature=related
I returned to my city familiar to tears
I came back by myself in one whole piece.
I am here, so, please, hear my passion’s plea
With your night lights that shed to me out the glee.
I returned to my city familiar to tears
I came back by myself in one whole piece.
Recognize me, your creature, inside out, reversed.
Listen to every word that I put in a verse.
Leningrad, Leningrad,
I still want my existence to last.
I do have the addresses that can recall us
Where I’ll summon ghosts for the ultimate cast.
Leningrad, Leningrad,
I still want my existence to last.
I remember your phone numbers from the far past.
I still want my existence to last.
I returned to my city familiar to tears
I came back by myself in one whole piece.
On backstairs I stay while being ready to sing.
I get hit in a temple by a long piercing ring.
I returned to my city familiar to tears
I came back by myself in one single piece.
I keep waiting for dearest friends to arrive
To make sure one, who fought Death, did survive.
I returned to my city familiar to tears
I came back by myself in one whole piece.
I am here, so, please, hear my passion’s plea
With your night lights that shed to me out the glee.
Recognize me, your creature, inside out, reversed.
Listen to every word that I put in a verse.
Leningrad, I still want my existence to last.
I remember your phone numbers from the far past.
I do have the addresses that can recall us
Where I will greet ghosts for the ultimate cast.
On backstairs I stay while being ready to sing.
I get hit in a temple by a long piercing ring.
I keep waiting for dearest guests to arrive
To make sure one, who cheats Death’s still alive.
* * *
О. Мандельштам
Я вернулся в мой город,знакомый до слез,
До прожилок, до детских припухлых желез.
Ты вернулся сюда, - так глотай же скорей
Рыбий жир ленинградских речных фонарей.
Узнавай же скорее декабрьский денек,
Где к зловещему дегтю подмешан желток.
Петербург, я еще не хочу умирать:
У тебя телефонов моих номера.
Петербург, у меня еще есть адреса,
По которым найду мертвецов голоса.
Я на лестнице черной живу, и в висок
Ударяет мне вырванный с мясом звонок.
И всю ночь напролет жду гостей дорогих,
Шевеля кандалами цепочек дверных.
Декабрь 1930.