During the first years of Shevchenko’s service in the Russian army,
when he was in the fortress of Orsk and at Kos-Aral, he was able with
difficulty to write. His mind was filled with longings for Ukraine,
with dreams of his own past life, and some of the poems of this period
are among his finest personal lyrics.
1847
Songs of mine, O songs of mine,
You are all I have.
Do not leave me now, I pray,
In this dreadful time.
Fly to me, my little dovelets,
With your wings of gray.
From the spreading Dnipro fly here
To the steppes and stay
With the poor and needy Kirghiz.
They are really poor,
Yes, and naked, but in freedom
They can pray to God.
Fly to me, my darling thoughts,
With calm words and true,
I shall greet you as my children
And shall weep with you.