"It snakes into your heart and, coiling up,
Its poison works with subtle skill,
Or else it coos the breadcrumbs on your window-sill.
And now it peeps out from a sleepy flower,
Or flashes suddenly in blinding rime.
But surely, stealthily it lures you farther
Away from simple joys and peace of mind.
You hear it in the violin*s anguished prayer,
A plea of lonelinees and sad regret.
And you*re afraid to even guess it is there
In someone*s smile you dare not trust as yet."
Love
It snakes into your heart and, coiling up,
Its poison works with subtle skill,
Or else it coos the breadcrumbs on your window-sill.
And now it peeps out from a sleepy flower,
Or flashes suddenly in blinding rime.
But surely, stealthily it lures you farther
Away from simple joys and peace of mind.
You hear it in the violin*s anguished prayer,
A plea of lonelinees and sad regret.
And you*re afraid to even guess it is there
In someone*s smile you dare not trust as yet.
Anna Akhmatova