The Road of Life with a friendly load...

Ольга Берггольц. Ленинградская поэма
Перевод на англ.(c) Marahan
Chapter IV
The Road of Life with a friendly load -
That’s how we got our bread.
There could have been no other road,
Both generous and sad.

Mary, I am proud you came to stay,
My dear Moscow friend!
I’m proud you took our blockade way,
Which never was to trend.

A thin brown-eyed girl on the run,
You wore a sheepskin coat.
You had boots on, you held a gun
While always on the road.

You rushed thru the grey deathly rime,
You struggled like we did.
My beloved land, the blood of mine,
My noble Russian breed!

You drove a lorry, full of food,
Straight to our Leningrad.
My husband died… You understood
I was alone and starved.

I suffered but all had their share.
Yes, constant pain unites!
The grief of Leningrad was there
In front of your brown eyes.

At night you cried for me so hard,
At dawn you went to bring
Some parcels, letters and regards
From villages just freed.

You wrote reminders to display;
‘Khokhrino, the Petrovs,
To find the relatives and say
They’re safe and send their love.
   
‘Mitya’s been tortured cruelly, but
The boy survived… He’s weak…’
The stories apt to break your heart…
These women tried to speak

Meanwhile collecting onions from 
Cold ravaged yards and shacks.
-Take it, good sister, take it home,
It’s scarce. That’s what you lack…

You rushed back here, all on the line,
The unfailing ray of light.
Thank you, my land, the blood of mine,
My people, you are my pride!