Nepevnym podychom vtyahnuty
Zymove kryzane povitrya,
Zachlynutysya...
L'odyanych spysiv prokovtnuvshy vistrya...

Ta revom v nich porynuty,
Ruynuyuchy use dovkillya...
Lunoyu lisom prokotytysya,
Striloyu promaynuvshy myttyu...

Chay, lodu stal vidblyskuye
Iskrystyi snih...
Moroznoyu ye dal –
Vidkryta ta bezzachysna – u kozen bik...

...Ya ye pochatok zymovoyi nochi!
Ya – snih, shcho rize ochi!
Ya – morozne vistrya lyutoyi zymy!
Ya vymiryayu prostir krylamy bezodni!..
...Ya ye pochatok pivnichnoyi lyutoyi nochi!
Ya – moroznyi snih, shcho rize tvoyi ochi!
Ya – kryzane vistrya dykoyi zymy!
Ya rozdyrayu prostir pazuramy
Bezodni!..

Kriz' imlystu dal
Prozorym promenem
Bureviyem mchu
Cholodnym plomenem
Zzyvayuchy use
Shcho trapyt' u boroznu
Zzyhayuchy use
Polum’yam cholodu

...Ya ye pochatok zymovoyi nochi!
Ya – snih, shcho rize ochi!
Ya – morozne vistrya lyutoyi zymy!
Ya vymiryayu prostir krylamy bezodni!..
...Ya ye pochatok pivnichnoyi lyutoyi nochi!
Ya – moroznyi snih, shcho rize tvoyi ochi!
Ya – kryzane vistrya dykoyi zymy!
Ya rozdyrayu prostir iklamy
Bezodni!..

Kriz' imlystu syvu dal
Kryshtalevym promenem
Striloyu vistryam mchu
Dykoho polyuvannya plomenem
Vynyshchuyuchy vse
Kryceyu moroznoyu
Zmitayuchy use
Shypastoyu palyceyu hriznoyu

Vitramy ta buranamy rozverznusya
Shkvalamy ta zaviryuchamy roziydusya
Stavky y ozera vkryyu lodamy
Kryzanymy okovamy

Vitramy y urahanamy rozverznusya
Bureviyamy ta buranamy roziydusya
V lisach – rozlyazusya snihamy...
Ineyem proydusya richkamy ta stepamy

...To ye pochatok lyutoyi, moroznoyi, dykoyi zymovoyi nochi!..