To the Moon

Poetry

Swim untiring, as before
Over storm hidden earth
Blow away the thick storm of gloom
With your silver radiance.

To the earth unfolded sleepily
You bend with a tender smile
Sing to Kazbek a lullaby
Whose blanket of ice rises to embrace you.

But know it well, one who was once
Banished and plunged to ashes,
Will rise to the height of Mtatsminda
With his inspiration having taken wings.

Sitting in the dark heart of the sky
Playing with its pale rays
Illuminated my land to the brim for me
With your even light.

I will open my heart to you
Stretch my hand in meeting
Once again, with a thumping heart
I look at the bright moon.

Oh Bard! Since you were moved to tears
By the peasants’ bitter fate
From then on, it has been your fate
To feel the intense burning pain.

When you triumphed, deeply moved
By the grandeur of your homeland
Songs called out to you, as if
Flowing from the divine heights.

When, inspired by the fatherland
You touched your most intimate strings
It was as if a young man in love,
Was dedicating to it his dreams.

From that moment onwards,
You are bound to the people with ties of love
And you built a monument for yourself
In the heart of every Georgian.

To the immortal song of my land’s singer
An award must be conferred,
Already the seed has taken root
Reap the harvest now!

Not for nothing people glorify you
You shall live unto eternity
And many like Eristavi
Let my country raise her sons.

-Joseph Stalin