war_poetry | N. Kool', 'There, in the Distance, Beyond the River'

There, in the Distance, Beyond the River

There, in the distance, beyond the river,
The stars have begun twinkling,
In the clear sky the sunrise has faded, --
A hundred young soldiers
From Budennyi’s troops
Galloped into the fields on a scouting mission.
They rode for a long time in the silent night,
Along the wide Ukrainian steppe.
Suddenly in the distance, by the river,
Light glinted on bayonets:
The White Guard in battle formation.
And without fear the squadron
Galloped at the enemy,
Engaged in bloody combat,
And a young warrior
Suddenly lowered his head,
The heart of a Communist youth was pierced.
He fell at the feet
of his raven-black steed,
And he closed his brown eyes.
You, raven-steed,
Tell my beloved
That I died honestly for the workers.
There in the distance, beyond the river
The stars have already gone out,
In the clear sky the sunrise burns.
Drops of thick blood,
From a young breast,
Run out onto the green grass.

by N. Kool' (1918)