Who Took the Bee’s Greed For a Sign

Eugene Dubnov (translated from the Russian by Peter Porter with the author)

Who took the bee’s greed for a sign,

who through a point drew a straight line,

who opened the eyes to malicious things,

who taught rapier to the strings?

Who flattens childhood’s eager grass,

who hopes the dream will quickly pass,

who recollects the border train,

who warns of death and life again?