Ганимед Уистан Хью Оден

ОН снизошёл с сияющих вершин
До скромного парнишки-пастуха, 
И голубя послал; но тот один
Вернулся: дрёма к музыке глуха.

Но Он судьбу юнца решил вперед:
Цель в том, чтоб тот к покорности пришёл.
Затем, придя к любви, он обретёт
И благодарность. Полетел орёл.

Не вышло. Скучной связью утомлён,
Мальчишка морщил нос, свистел; зевая,
От нежности объятий ускользая;

А за орлом всегда и без сомненья
Он следовал повсюду, восхищён,
Учась приёмам разным убиенья.


***

GANYMEDE

He looked in all His wisdom from the throne
Down on that humble boy who kept the sheep,
And sent a dove; the dove returned alone:
Youth liked the music, but soon fell asleep.

But He had planned such future for the youth:
Surely, His duty now was to compel.
For later he would come to love the truth,
And own his gratitude. His eagle fell.

It did not work. His conversation bored
The boy who yawned and whistled and made faces,
And wriggled free from fatherly embraces;

But with the eagle he was always willing
To go where it suggested, and adored
And learnt from it so many ways of killing.

Wystan Hugh Auden