Palace rains in Venice by moonlight, 1878 34h44 Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (1817-1900)

VENETIAN RHAPSODY
1
He whispers, Pay your debts on...
But the m is swallowed. A luxury suite.
Massive white moldings,
Wealthy furnishings plus.
The city itself – an architecture garden.
Facade after facade, following,
Looking at those walking by. And Venetian structures
Swallow the light.

Sunset – like a fading sky,
Then, darkness gathering.
And gondolas dont need bread,
For they are fed by gentle waves.
Near the slender piles, youll see
A herd of gondolas – so beautiful.
Foreign speech – German? Yiddish?
Dont rush to identify it.

Who read Our Father in the hotel
Has long since fallen asleep, very drunk.
But the pension is lovelier indeed
Than luxury suites – their flaw
Is that same luxury, whose excess
Belongs to a pompous past.
What drink will you take at the cafe?
If its damp, grappa will do.

And pearls with fish oil
Are offered by the lanterns.
For dinner – pasta with soft cheese.
Eat, and dont look out the window.
Morning will come, canceling out
Those rows of lanterns.
And playing in delicate silver,
The day will gaze into the mirror of water.

Here, the waves are obviously flattering -
They lick the steps, day and night.
Pilasters in curls are beautiful,
One pattern is like an octopus.
Gargoyles, angels, columns,
And lions of St. Mark – a world
That has defied the laws of grayness,
Where satiety is the true idol.

Bridges over the smooth water!
Their intricate carvings.
The water invites you to peace,
While fate wrinkles.
How did the carnivals boil!
There are countless beaked masks here.
And for settling scores, there are
Magnificent daggers.
Cloaks, coats, dominoes,
Jesuits – a meat soup.
Equals – great, unknown,
Thin, plump. Drink wine!
How reliable is that lion guard?
In the palazzo – secret writing of wealth.
To stroll through those halls,
Your status will hardly allow it.

Blackened with lacquer, a black coffin
Will be delivered to you by gondola on the island.
On its lid – gray lumps of debris,
The very skeleton of life will shudder.
And the city itself is all in mist.
Here, nebbi – milky haze.
Traces in the fog – like burrows.
And suddenly, a stone loses weight.

2
This is a city of dreams. In the water – a Triton,
Or a dragon – anything you want.
And the alleys, in unison,
Sound with Vivaldi – noble.
The wind started ripples lightly.
Rain wont sit in the gondola now.
Through stone-paved garden
Everything suddenly settled in your soul.

Its a pity that the helmsman doesnt
Drink wine, chatting over a glass
In a tavern with someone.
To me,
The turns are measured and frequent.
So rare is this empty niche!
Everywhere you feel dampness.
Even if something hasnt worked out in life -
Like a revelation and mercy
Venice has been given a star.

Here, Aretino – bearded,
Capricious – lived for a long time.
Centuries, water preserves without purpose
Through reflections – rich
Registry of those reflected by it,
Wild or Proust – it doesnt matter to the water.
The chic of modernity bravely
Captures garlands of days.

Here is a jewel garden – with keen eyes,
Eagerly looking into your soul with its fruits.
Rubies burn red,
Sapphires are begging to come out,
Large diamonds stare.
I pass by, I am cowardly.
The surrounding houses – volumes,
And in them, history itself.

A round courtyard is paved with stones.
The nose of a ship. And lanterns -
Their light fills the gaze.
Along the galleries, we
Can barely walk inside the palace.
Magnificent grandeur!
Theres a bull head that has been avenged -
Light jokes with the ledge of the corner.

At night, tar-like water
Glitters heavily in mass.
Cathedrals at night sometimes
Attract even more – the soul sighs.
In the water, threads of stars flow,
These silver threads
Connect to secrets of events.
And a bridge floats magnificently.

Well, evaluate quickly
Bellinis kingdom, Titians!
Despair is terribly
In the Venetian days paradise.
Embroidery and light painting,
And cloudy drapery.

The motor turned deftly,
Disturbing with its speed.