a mere glimpse of the stars in 19th century russia

             MY FACE TURNED UPWARDS

My face turned upwards to the sky
One summer night I lay upon some hay
A lively close-knit starry chorus 
Was flickering all around.

The mute earth, nebulous and dreamlike,
Rushed off without a trace
And I, like Eden's first inhabitant,
Faced night's gaze all alone.

Was it I hurtling into midnight's depths
Or was it crowds of stars that hurtled toward me?
It seemed as if a mighty palm
Held me suspended over the abyss.

And with a heart confused and stunned 
I cast my gaze into the depths,
Whence sinking every moment deeper,
I never will return.

                A. A.  Shenshin

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