Anna Akhmatova Professions : Poet Born : June 23, 1889 Died : March 5, 1966 Browse All Authors Top 74 quotes by Anna Akhmatova Not, not mine: it's somebody else's wound; I could never have borne it. So take the thing that happened, hide it, stick it in the ground; whisk the lamps away. Anna Akhmatova lamps sadness sticks All that I am hangs by a thread tonight Anna Akhmatova thread tonight That was when the ones who smiled Were the dead, glad to be at rest. Anna Akhmatova glad We are all carousers and loose women here; How unhappy we are together! Anna Akhmatova loose-women unhappy together You do not know just what you've been forgiven. Anna Akhmatova forgiven knows I know beginnings, I know endings too, and life-in-death, and something else I'd rather not recall just now. Anna Akhmatova recalls knows Let whoever wants to, relax in the south, And bask in the garden of paradise. Here is the essence of north—and it's autumn I've chosen as this year's friend. Anna Akhmatova autumn garden years Song falls silent, music is dumb, But the air burns with their fragrance, And white winter, on its knees, Observes everything with reverent attention. Anna Akhmatova winter song fall This land, although not my native land, Will be remembered forever. And the sea's lightly iced, Unsalty water. The sand on the bottom is whiter than chalk, The air is heady, like wine, And the rosy body of the pines Is naked in the sunset hour. And the sunset itself on such waves of ether That I just can't comprehend Whether it is the end of the day, the end of the world, Or the mystery of mysteries in me again. Anna Akhmatova sunset wine air But Fear and the Muse in turn guard the place Anna Akhmatova ignorant poetry night All has been looted, betrayed, sold; Anna Akhmatova betrayed black wings This Cruel Age has deflected me. Anna Akhmatova age Natural thunder heralds the wetness of fresh water Anna Akhmatova rain believe children All has been looted, betrayed, sold; black death's wing flashed ahead. Anna Akhmatova ahead been black death Similar Authors Abdellatif Laabi poet Ihara Saikaku poet Abram Joseph Ryan poet Ingeborg Bachmann poet Izumi Shikibu poet Bion of Smyrna poet All Authors