The Russian poet Andrei Voznesensky has died at seventy-seven. Here are the first and last stanzas from his “Darkmotherscream,” translated by Robert Bly and Vera Dunham, in The Ecco Anthology of International Poetry:

Darkmotherscream is a Siberian dance,

cry from prison or a yell for help,

or, perhaps, God has another word for it—

ominous little grin—darkmotherscream.

                  * * *

Meanwhile go on dancing, drunker and drunker.

“Shagadam magadam—darkmotherscream.”

Don’t forget—Rome fell

not having grasped the phrase: darkmotherscream.