The Poem of Ecstasy – poem by Alexander Scriabin translated by Paul Amrod
Spirit,
Winged with the thirst for life,
is summoned into flight
to the epitome of negation.
There, under the rays of its chimera,
emerges a mysterious world
of heavenly forms and feelings.
Spirit touching.
Spirit desiring.
Spirit creating all with a reverie
abandons to the bliss of love.
Amid the rising cosmoses
it dwells in languor ;
then from the heights of inspiration
calling each being to blossom.
Inebriated while soaring
as it is ready to sink into oblivion.
Hence suddenly . . .
trembling presentiments
of dark rhythm
break brazenly into
this enchanted world.
Nevertheless only for an instant
with light increasing
magnifying divine will.
It dispels
the abominable phantoms.
Then it attained
singularly a coveted victory
over itself.
Spirit teasing,
Spirit caressing,
Spirit gesturing with a hope of joy
relinquishing to the bliss of love.
Amid the blossoms of its creation,
it lingers with a kiss.
Hovering over a whole world of titillation
summoning itself to ecstasy.
Intoxicated with a celestial brilliance
while it transports softly tiptoeing
as a thrall dances and whirls;
With a whole gamut of sensations
they feel tormented, wearied.
Ready to sink into oblivion
Although suddenly again . . .
from mysterious wombs
the spirit awakens confused
like a formless host
of savage terrors.
It rises wrathfully
with menacing waves;
which threaten
all to submerge.
Spirit,
Winged with the thirst for life,
is summoned into flight
to the epitome of negation.
There, under the rays of its chimera,
emerges a mysterious world
of heavenly forms and feelings.
Spirit playing,
Spirit suffering,
Spirit creating grief by doubt
succumbs to love’s torment.
Amidst the flowers of its creations
it lingers in torment
with the whole earth shaking
calling ruthlessly for its demise.
Seized with fear,
It is ready to sink into oblivion
However then
bright presentiments
of radiant rhythms
are awakening within it.
Passionate moment,
with starbursts of hope.
Radiant once again
it blazes for life.
As well marvelously attained
is the power
of divine will.
It needles
the dark abysses
with glowing glances.
It shouts with rage
and fury . . .
The battle flares.
Yawning caverns
of monsters’ mouths
flash ominously.
Vehement lightning streaks with divine will,
All-conquering;
Resplendent reflections
of cryptic light
illuminate the world.
Spirit,
Forgetting the cherished goal,
drunkenly yields to the struggle.
All enraptured,
utterly delighted
with a free
Godlike play
in this tussle called love.
In the divine loftiness
of innocent aimlessness,
by combining
opposing desires
will bring a single awareness,
One love.
Our Spirit learns
its divine essence.
It knows that
one love was the desired struggle;
It desires only,
and events
assemble around
this wish
in a harmonious order
bringing a capricious emotion.
Spirit,
Playing, changing
reverberates through the universe
Explaining
as well as affirming.
Desirous of conquest,
it was victorious.
It is triumphant!
Additionally to its beloved realm,
it is joyous, and can return now.
However what darkens
This glorious moment?
ALAS!
IT HAS ATTAINED ITS PURPOSE.
It longs for the forgoing scuffle.
Instantly it feels
lassitude, melancholy and hollowness.
Yet with the thirst for life,
it is summoned into flight
to the epitome of negation.
There, under the rays of its chimera
emerges a mysterious world
of celestial forms and feelings.
While tormented by nothing
it can eternally
surrender to its
favored dreaming.
But why, O rebellious Spirit,
again is Thy rest perturbed?
No disturbing rhythm
overshadows Thee,
No dreadful phantoms
haunt.
Only monotony’s
infecting poisons.
The maggots of satiety
devours feeling
with a sickly cry
the universe resounds:
Something else!
The new!
Wearied of pleasure
Forlorn with pleasure
however not with life,
Spirit wings lift into flight
to the kingdoms of grief and suffering.
Emancipated it returns
to the realm of dream and of excitement.
It comprehended miraculously
the concept of evil’s
unfathomable abysses.
Again the dark caverns
gape open.
Again the mouths threaten to swallow
repeating the battle,
the girding of the will
with the aspiration to conquer all.
Again victory, again intoxication,
and rapture
and satiety.
With this increasing rhythm
throbs the pulse of stronger life!
O my world, my life,
my blossoming, my ecstasy!
Your moments each by each
I create by negation
of an earlier experience.
I am forever!
Negation
again and
ever anew!
More powerful
more tender,
New sensual torture,
and fresh beatitude.
Delighting in this dance,
suffocated by its vortex.
Unmindful of goals
and beloved ambitions
Spirit of lust is surrendering to this playful
insobriety.
On powerful wings
it speeds
into realms of new discovery
of Ecstasy.
In this endless transformation,
in this purposeless, godlike flight
the spirit comprehends itself
by its incessant might and will.
Alone, free
forever creating.
All-illuminating
All-lifegiving
Divine recreation
in a multiplicity of forms:
It knows itself
as the palpitation of life,
The wish to burgeon
in this struggle of love.
Spirit playing
Spirit fluttering
By its enduring longing
for engendering Ecstasy
It gives itself up to Love’s thrill.
Amidst the flowers of its creations
it lives in deliverance.
“I summon you to life,
Hidden longings !”
You, who have sunken
into the somber depths
of the intuitive spirit,
You timid embryos
of the gift of life.
To you I bring
this daringly.
Now, you are boundless.
Fragment and flower
separately
rise up one against another
fleeing to the summits
in a most beauteous bliss.
You may know all your oneness
annihilated within me!
Rise up one against another,
strike against me,
negate your love!
Turn against me, all people and
elements,
All horrors lift up your heads,
attempt to destroy me.
Caverns of dragons’ mouths
serpents twist round me
constrict me and bite me!
When all rises
Against me,
Then I begin
My
Frolic.
O waiting world,
weary world!
You are thirsting to be created.
You witness the creator.
Your tender sweet sigh,
Calling forth
has been gently wafted to me.
I will pursue.
Already I dwell in you
O my cherished universe
with enigmatic delights
of unknown feelings,
with myriads of phantasm and vision,
with an inspiration’s flame
a quest for Truth
with the forbidden wish
of a rapturous divine freedom.
O my cherished world,
I shall proceed.
Your fantasy of me
will be born.
It is I.
Already I am manifest
in this mysterious presence
A barely perceptible
whisper of freedom.
Lightly,
a wisp of a dream.
The wave
of my being
has already seized you.
You are quivering already.
I am your beloved release.
You my beloved world!
I have come
to dazzle you
with the marvels
of enchantment repeated;
I bring you
a magical shiver
of a consuming scorching love
and unimaginable caresses.
Surrender to me in all faith!
I will drown you in oceans of bliss
and beloved kisses
and great heaving waves.
Nonetheless in our remoteness playing
only the spray
envelopes you
as you insanely desire.
Something else!
The new-fangled and captivating!
Then in torrents of flowers
I will lie upon you
showering aromas and scents
basking you languidly
in this game of fragrances.
Now tender, now stringent
with a theater of touches.
Firstly soft, then mildly harsh
while sinking you into passion
You will whisper:
again and
forever again!
Then I will plunge
with a horde of fearsome monsters
with savage torment and terror.
I will crawl upon you with a venomous
nests of snakes
who will bite and smother you!
Then you will desire me
more madly, more passionately.
Then I will lie upon you
under rays of celestial suns
and you will flame with the fires
of my emotion.
The holy
flames of yearning.
For the sweetest,
the most forbidden,
most mysterious.
All of you is one single wave
of liberty and joy.
Multiplicity has created you.
Legions of feelings
have elevated you
O pure desires,
I create you.
This complex unity,
this sentiment of bliss
capturing you completely.
I am the instant of illuminating eternity
I am the affirmation.
I am Ecstasy.”
The universe
Is embraced in flames
Spirit at the summit of its being
Feels and perceives
endless tides
of divine power
of free will
emboldened.
That which was pestilent
is now seduction.
That which frightened
gives you pleasure.
Also the bites of the panther and hyena
are new caresses
as the serpent’s sting
is but a burning kiss.
Thence the universe resounds
With a joyful cry I AM.