So glad we are a Stranger d deem by Emily Dickinso

Столь рада,- незнакомцу счесть,-
печально, что - была...
Где праздник должен петь, я здесь
грустинку издала...
Никак себя не оправдать,
раз счастья с горем миг
так схож, - и оптик слабоват
найти различье в них...




(Эмили - к Сэму Боулзу, уезжавшему в Европу,
и вернувшемуся в Эмерст.)
[David Preest:
This is the first of three successive poems sent to Samuel Bowles,
who was travelling in Europe from April to mid-November 1862. This
poem seems to have been sent to him at the time of his return to
Massachusetts. Emily says to him in the riddling style he was
becoming familiar with, ‘I’m glad you are back. Though somebody
who didn’t know me would think that I was sad, for he would see me
crying instead of regarding your return with holiday feelings.
Nor would this stranger realise that my tears are justified,
seeing that Grief and Joy are so similar that even an Optics expert
could not decide between them.’]

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So glad we are -- a Stranger'd deem by Emily Dickinson      

So glad we are -- a Stranger'd deem      
'Twas sorry, that we were --            
For where the Holiday should be         
There publishes a Tear --               
Nor how Ourselves be justified --       
Since Grief and Joy are done            
So similar -- An Optizan               
Could not decide between --