This that would greet an hour ago by Emily Dickins

Что встретилось бы - час назад -
в чудной дали - сейчас...
Явись к нему из Рая Гость -
не гнуть спины, светясь...

Имей с полдневной выси весть -
лучом ожить не смочь...
Покой глубокий, мне под стать,
серебряная молчь...





(Эмили - о чьём-то, уже неживом, теле.)
[David Preest:
The ‘this’ of the poem is a person who has only just died,
but who ‘is quaintest Distance - now.’ Not even a ‘Guest
from Paradise’ could cause the corpse to glow or bow.
Not even a summons from the Noon could cause it to smile
or grow warm. If you were to be asked to match the
‘solid calm’ of the corpse or the reticence of its silvered
flesh, you could not do it.
Similarly in poem 53 Emily had said of the dead that
‘Courtiers quaint in kingdoms/Our departed are.’]

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This that would greet -- an hour ago -- by Emily Dickinson

This that would greet -- an hour ago --    
Is quaintest Distance -- now --            
Had it a Guest from Paradise --            
Nor glow, would it, nor bow --             

Had it a notice from the Noon               
Nor beam would it nor warm --               
Match me the Silver Reticence --            
Match me the Solid Calm --