Retribution

From Ehrenburg, Ilya. "Retribution." As reproduced in Twentieth Century Russian Poetry, trans. Gordon McVay, ed. Albert Todd and Max Hayward (New York: Anchor Books, 1993), 218.

She lay beside the bridge. The German troops had reckoned
To cheapen her by this. Instead, her nakedness
Was like an ancient statue's unadorned perfection,
Was like unspotted Nature's loveliness and grace.
We covered her and carried her. The bridge, unsteady,
Appeared to palpitate beneath our precious load.
Our soldiers halted there, in silence stood bare-headed,
Each transformed, acknowledging the debt he owed.
The Justice headed westward. Winter was a blessing,
With hatred huddled mute, and snows a fiery ridge.
The fate of Germany that murky day was settled
Because of one dead girl, beside a shaky bridge.

"Retribution" by Ilya Ehrenburg translated by Gordon McVay, from 20TH CENTURY RUSSIAN POETRY by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, copyright © 1993 by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.