In intimacy there exists a line That can't be crossed by passion or love's art - In awful silence lips melt into one And out of love to pieces bursts the heart. And friendship here is impotent, and years Of happiness sublime in fire aglow, When soul is free and does not hear The dulling of sweet passion, long and slow. Those who are striving toward it are in fever, But those that reach it struck with woe that lingers. Now you have finally fathomed, why forever Her heart does not beat underneath your fingers. By Anna Akhmatova Translated from Russian by Ilya Shambat
