The Prince Fell For The Fair Maiden… Poem by Janri Gogeshvili

An allegorical ballad

Love bore the tale,
The black-eyed belle.
The prince loved her,
Despite the spell.

He married her,
Became a king.
The girl’s too shy
To be a queen.

She dreamed of dales,
Of sweet carnations.
A bird in her soul –
Her consolation!

The king’s cruel mum
And sisters said:
“We’ve brought you up,
Our dear lad! ”

Then the ocean of pains,
Of quarrels and worries.
The queen grows stubborn,
When the king dies…

The court’s alarmed,
The palace dives in vice,
The skies assault the earth,
Women cry out their eyes.

The old hag raged,
Was absorbed in wrath,
Couldn’t cast a spell,
And met her death.

The widow grew more fearless,
No longer was she a slave.
She could display her smartness,
And the court was filled with awe.

The court prospered and flourished,
Ended the ill-fated years,
The young queen loved her homeland,
That love made her shed tears.

And the spark of beauty – the love
Was born again… it sparked, it flamed,
The knight adored the young queen,
Faithful to her he remained.

Many know that story,
The ballad of glory:
The old tricks and shams
Repeat themselves.

Turned into a brave woman
The humble lass in the past...
She hoisted like sails
Her mourning dress.
The virtue was rewarded… at last.

29.O1.2OO2.

Translated from Georgian