I’ve stuck myself into the Earth teacher’s,
I’ll dedicate my life to service to children.
I’m not afraid of agonizing death
Under bullets, block, infirmary then.

I’m keeping my heart from the storm of fates,
From any bad luck, adversities, experience.
And I do tell to children: “You are not slaves—
Strive for fulfilling of your dear wishes.

And do receive joy from everything—
Experience’s burden’ ll destroy carelessness,
You’ve got everything, you’ve got nothing,
You’ve a moment, eternity in hands blest!”
{2013}

ДЕТЯМ

Воткнул себя в учительскую твердь
И посвящу всю жизнь служенью детям.
Мне не страшна мучительная смерть
Под пулями, на плахе, в лазарете…

Я свой очаг храню от бурь судьбы:
От невезения, невзгод, переживаний.
И детям говорю: «Вы не рабы –
Стремитесь к исполнению желаний!

И получайте радость от всего –
Груз опыта разрушит всю беспечность.
У вас в руках есть всё и ничего,
У вас в руках – мгновение и вечность!»
{2013}

Translator - I. Toporov

He scoops sands in baskets

then balancing neatly on the shoulder
carries to where needed
through bone breaking hours.

Upon his footprints is there a name
or a home
where he goes back for the night
lands featherlight kiss on a woman
awakes her sleepy bones with her hands
forgetting his days sinking in the sands.

Dedicated to Angela Merkel

Mother Germany in word and deed!
The Eurounion’s motor of motors,
As a physicist, she put deeds right, indeed
Laying special stress on economics.
The Lady Wonder: she’s existing again,
In Marvel there was no tale personage.
The foe’s calling her Valkyrja in vain,
She is well- known but not for epatage.
There are no more any Roman Empires,
And Karl the Great’s partially  forgotten.
But as before (we know from popular beliefs):
Over Europe a black eagle is soaring.
{02.12.2019}

КАНЦЛЕР ЕВРОПЫ

Ангеле Меркель

Мать-Германия: слово и дело!
Евросоюза железный мотор
Меркель, как физик, наладила смело,
На экономику сделав упор!

Женщина-Чудо: она существует –
В Marvel не сказочный был персонаж!
Враг называет Валькирией всуе:
Меркель известна не за эпатаж!

Нет уже римских великих империй,
Карл Великий частично забыт.
Но, как и раньше (как знаем с поверий),
Чёрный орёл над Европой парит!
{02.12.2019}

Translator - I. Toporov

Within the four walls
Below a roof
Busy with play of words
The poet is aloof.

The sky is breaking low
Pitter patter rain
Capture they must the flow
Of drizzles soothing pain.

Outside on a stretch of green
Drenched to the bone
A man with cracking skin
Hoeing from morn.

The toiler is tasked to ****
Paid by the hour
Must earn the precious quid
Whatever the shower.

The poet is lost in the toil
To grow his rhyme in shower
The **** works fast the soil
Growing hope by the hour.

I am me,
It took my mum nine months and some pain to have me,
I am not some toilet paper to be used and disposed of,
So next time don't you dare treat me less than I am.
17/5/2020

He comes knocking your door
Buys things you need no more
Weighs and pays for discarded load
Then goes off to another road.

For your pound he pays pence
Makes it seem in perfect sense
The deal is only if you're willing
To barter the old for new shilling.

You feel he adds some happiness
Clears the dirt creates the space
Your home was long a messy lot
With no place for new things brought.

Not all old things are like that dirt
A few are ever new are your part
He never asks them to be sold
Knowing you wouldn't for price of gold.