Laughing, Delighting and Rebelling

Laughing, delighting, and rebelling
In all her hopeless, endless angst,
In Mahendzhauri, near Batumi
She stood out lonely on the sand.

She was so dignified and proud —
She thought herself a river, and
She naked went into the water
And touched the sea foam with her hand.

Removing all unneeded dresses,
She elegantly walked across
She was unbuttoning her swimsuit
Her swimsuit on the sand to toss.

The sight of her well-tanned shoulder
Teased, tormented the soul divine
The white was seen between the tanlines
Where evening gown had hid the skin

She laughed in joy, she laughed in pleasure
Splashing her hands across the tide,
And rainbows rolled across her body
From head to shoulder on each side.

By Bella Akhmadulina
Translated from Russian by Ilya Shambat