Anchar - The Toxicant Tree Called The Upas  by A. Pushkin

In the desert, stunted and stingy hell

On the soil, scorched by the swelterous

The upas tree, like a formidable sentinel,

Stands — alone in the whole universe.

Nature of the thirsty steppes wrenched

Gave birth to it on the day of passion

And the dead greenery of the branches

The outspread roots it soaked with poison.

The poison drips through its rind

By midday melting from the fervour

And freezes down in the evening

As thick transparent resin tar.

No bird flies moving to it’s shaft.

Nor the tiger  goes, only a black whirlwind

Some times Runs upon that tree of death —

And rushes instantly away already putrid.

And if a rain cloud sprinkles cautious,

Wandering, on its dense leaf incidentally

From its branches, already rain poisonous

Flows quietly into the burning sand heavily

But potentate man sent retainer man

To the upas tree by a commanding glance,

And he obediently went on his way to land

And returned by morning with poison

He brought also the resin of death.                

And a branch with withered leaves,

And ice sweat on his pale forehead

Run slowly as cold slimy stream  peaked

He brought them - and weakened lay down self

Under the vault of the hut on his matting

And the poor slave died at the feet ferocious

Of the invincible ruler just for nothing

And the king fed with that toxin

His obedient arrows and sharp swords

And with them he sent death massive

To his neighbors in foreign world.