He Didn’t Return from the Battle
          Vladimir Vysotsky

      It’s a beautiful day... Why is everything wrong?
      And it feels like it will not get better.
      Same forest, same river, same air on my tongue,
      But he did not return from the battle!
     
      Now it doesn’t matter, which one of us won
      Our arguments, quarrels, and prattles.
      Only now do I miss him, now when he is gone,
      When he did not return from the battle.
     
      He was awkward at times? He sang out of tune,
      Like an empty can, he always rattled,
      Always kept me awake, always got up at dawn,
      But last night didn’t return from the battle.
     
      It’s a trivial thing: only now I begin
      Realizing just how much he mattered!
      Like a fire blown out by the rush of the wind,
      He did not return from the battle.
     
      As if out of prison spring finally broke...
      I called out, when the company settled:
      “Brother, pass me a smoke!” - But in silence I spoke...
      He did not return from the battle!
     
      Our fallen comrades - they always protect!
      Our dead - stand sentinel for us!
      Trees stand blooming in blue as the skies reflect,
      As the skies reflect in the forest.
     
      We would share our space and our life, everything:
      Time for two and two spoons by the kettle.
      Now it’s all to myself, still I can’t help but think:
      I did not return from the battle!

      © Vadim Astrakhan. Translation, 2011

See also

• Texts. Akhmatova, Anna. Courage
• Texts. Akhmatova, Anna. Crucifixion
• Texts. Pushkin, Alexander. Prophet
• Texts. Blok, Alexander. Scythians
• Texts. Therese of Lisieux. Story. Counsels and Reminiscences

Links

• Wikipedia: Vladimir Vysotsky
• Vladimir Vysotsky, He Didn’t Return from the Battle
• Владимир Высоцкий, Он не вернулся из боя (новый звук)

Bibliography

• "Vladimir Vysotsky" on Google Books