Laughing, delighting, and rebelling In all her hopeless, endless angst, In Mahendzhauri, near Batumi She stood out lonely on the sand. She was so dignified and proud - She thought herself a river, and She naked went into the water And touched the sea foam with her hand. Removing all unneeded dresses, She elegantly walked across She was unbuttoning her swimsuit Her swimsuit on the sand to toss. The sight of her well-tanned shoulder Teased, tormented the soul divine The white was seen between the tanlines Where evening gown had hid the skin She laughed in joy, she laughed in pleasure Splashing her hands across the tide, And rainbows rolled across her body From head to shoulder on each side. By Bella Akhmadulina Translated from Russian by Ilya Shambat http://geocities.ws/ilya_shambat2005/
