Lesya Ukrainka

On this chilly spring morning, we consider this poem by Lesya Ukrainka (February 25, 1871 – August 1, 1913), one of Ukrainian literature's foremost writers, best known for her poems and plays. She was also an active political, civil, and feminist activist.

Spring’s Victory

My heart for many a day refused to yield to spring

Declined to lend an ear to her appeal;

I feared the magic of her mystic blandishings;

Against her spell my heart I tried to steel.

“Nay, call thou not to me, O spring!” I said to her,

“They charms and they enchantments are in vain.

What care I for thy beauties, joyous, bright and clear,

When my sad heart is filled with grief and pain?”

But spring continued calling loud: “Hear me, my child!

All things pay homage to me as their queen.

No more the gloomy wood remembers winter wild,

But decks itself anew in garments green.”

“The black cloud with its thunderbolts to me responds,

The lighting lights all heaven with its sheen,

The dark earth robes itself with hosts of tiny fronds,

All things submit to me as to their queen.”

“Then let that burdened heart of thine once more revive,

Let it again my joyous song repeat,

For it must surely sense that nature is alive;

Thy heart is not yet numb—I hear it beat.”

A quiet whisper came; “Put thou no faith in spring!”

The warning failed before spring’s witchery;

My former dreams awoke, my heart began to sing;

“O spring, O spring, thine is the victory!”

--Lesya Ukrainka (translated by Percival Cundy)