<INFANCY>
1
The stray eagle a feather dropped.
Yegor-light-Yegorushka was born in the world.
With tight body, with light face,
Loud in shout, capacious in chest.
Will choke with embrace.
He sucks ten nurses.
Sings the mother on the cradle,
Sings the nurse on the cradle:
“Son, quietly, lie down,
The gray wolf is near, son!
The gray wolf will arrive,
Will seize Erka on the side!
So sleep, my-light-Yegor!
And from cradle echoes suckling:
“The gray wolf will arrive,
Will seize the nurse on the side!”
Sleep, my dear son!
On hind legs he would stand.
Sleep, son! – Or else
Put heels into mouth of nurse.
And thank you for this:
Did not kick out all your teeth!
Go quiet, go low –
Three carriages has Yegor.
At first she was of willows:
Mother herself had woven.
Therefore our falcon
Had on the twig all wound.
Carved and painted –
Here is second pegtail.
For an hour he did not lie in it:
Once he broke it in smithereens!
In knot the necklace having tied,
To the forge the mother has gone:
“Add the tears for us.
Correct the cradle for us,
That our comely son did not
In a year splinter it!”
Fever went in the forge,
The young mother walks in pitch:
With the red forge –
Of the smith.
Weight: five and a half poods.
Into her the son she has put.
“Go above, go below!”
As if on eggshell he gnawed.
And he looks onto god’s light
With a fiery eye.
2
The wind has made noise over willows –
The young one remembers the stray eagle.
Not just the eagle – with gold feathers,
But, with whom – from whom - she is there…
To remember – boils the chest!
The shame having forgotten –
Howl like wolf, but cannot: sleeps the son!
Not to shout – ready to know.
To remember – the chest boils!
Why does he now sleep and not snore?
Gallop from bench: The-son!
Sense to pitching: Why have you gone
Quiet? Blood from the face: carriage is empty!
Here and there:
Under pitching – no,
Under bench – no,
Gallop on stove – no!
And in tub – bottom
Has gone to torture with pole
As the dung with the pitchforks –
Like wolf carried away - she shook!
Like Midnight One into the burrow
She raked, pressing upon the apron?
And on all yard with a howl:
“My first one! My last one!”
Crescent clear,
Frequent stars,
Scary-scary misfortune!
Kill me, wretched one,
Red dawn-dawn!
Oh the sign on the right shoulder
Dear one, cheeks-glow!
Under the light moon crescent
As is – on simple grass –
I shook all the straw.
She pushed into the barn:
The cock shouted in hearts. The sheep’s smell
Went into her nose – with some blend.
She went up – behind her the moon.
And he pokes her with his ring:
See! He caresses: And in middle of the barn -
Thus the smell hit in the nose!
Herself – with Yegor in paws!
And little one into her stomach!
Thus he leaned – and crackling goes!
As dashingly the lips she smacks,
A she-wolf Yegor sucks.
And in half-circle beside
There are six grey wolf cubs.
And she to him, here she to him.
She sucks – and she, know, embraces!
There’s not enough for her the four paws –
Aims with a tail, anathema!
Thus he will smack, and she with tail: Spender!
And into the nose with tongue – at once!
The whole body – with tongue – across
Hundred times – and more hundred times.
And with circle, glaring at mom:
A dozen red eyes.
And around – among dead hens –
There’s a dozen of sheep’s skins.
Stunned, she would not walk:
Like barbells at the ankles:
And this one, know, sucks,
And that one, know, licks!
How will shudder – and six
Noses above – on sheep skins.
And six demons’ choir
After the she-wolf growls.
“Yegorushka!” – and across all
Demons – direct on the son!
And here – from mother – in down:
To anathema: “Mom!”
And she to him! And she to him!
Neighbour, and you, know, hugs!
Look, say, dare, say, who is his mother!
And she pulled up the nose, anathema!
And we don’t hear the broad –
Skies in all snout! –
She went out, quiet,
And closed the door.
Only from that hour
It’s time for new days.
Asks for meat the small one,
Does not touch the breast.
Only moon the horns
Weaves through rye-sinner –
In the window each night
She-wolf comes after the child.
***
Grow up our wings-feathers!
Yegorushka has reached three years,
With black word criticizes <all around finds fault>,
Not the child grows – a bandit.
Cabbage is rotting in the garden,
The head is turned by the flowers.
Color not color and mushroom not mushroom –
To all the heads he knocked down!
Mother – rich flatbread
To him – in face spiteful.
Mother – with puff upon the nose,
And he – with the sorceress.
And why the snow is white,
And why hedgehog is prickled,
And for what reason
God made wolf without wings.
The crumb upon the desk –
Give to him the shchi!
The cat beloved –
And one ears without!
And with the height! With sigh!
And to side and above!
No demon, nor a cough:
Thus the hero grows!
To give him a whipping –
Boils the whole chest!
And near Yegor
The brother speaks:
By priest not baptized,
Not forgiven by Christ,
Honor-conscience – like sieve,
As sown onto him.
Yegor has round cheeks,
And the wolf has ones sunk.
Both have swarthy conscience,
Insane in chest is the heart.
Yegor has red lips,
And the wolf – blue.
Both are danger to sheep:
They’re licked with one spit.
Yegor’s head is in rings.
And the wolf’s – in tousles.
They are similar in brains:
Combed with the same hairbrush.
Yegor has torn pants,
And the wolf – tattered.
Both called – in forest – guests:
On one milk – drunken.
One word: brothers in God:
One: selected trash!
They crack from one broad:
They’re fed by one chest!
At dawn – as mother will feed with bread –
To break the fences and sides to break.
Where they have gone: like the enemy host:
In centuries won’t stand the forest.
And one before other to boast of strength:
The barns to roam, the shepherds to tease.
Yegor in passing – and wolf-cub in passing,
To oneself in the mouth – and to wolf-cub in the mouth,
Clearer than broad in the cold year
They are watching the Moscow’s turn there.
Tenth pig iron with brother they are simplifying –
It’s given to be kissing, it’s given to be hugging!
And the broad has wandered into the yard,
At the stove – near the stove – howling and shouts.
Will not awaken from the same time,
How he had rubbed the spine!
Without sponge and soap, I say, lye without,
And for yourself – with wolf – with snout.
Where is the yoke – broad, hold tight!
Buckets from mountains – below and above!
And the priest is therefore bald,
That the tail he could not bite off.
<And in the evening, having done thousand deeds,>
They lie in the ditch, each other seek.
Oh my starry blueness, garden of Eden!
The night is late, blanket is our wrap!
God has a wolf, sacred, you see… and
Where they will drop – there they will sleep.
And sweetly they sleep, though none lay the bed…
To two parts they divide the steam-breath.
Together they snore –
And sacred is deed?
One – with another,
Misdeed – with misdeed,
Wolf with the kid!
***
Again the dawn has come, God’s trade
Yegor and wolf rose to the trade.
<One and one more
Without stitches rod - >
They go
To robbery
And bastardy.
Yegor: “Phew,”
The ears he moves.
Yegor: “T’fu,”
Will lick the wolf.
They go – mountains buzz,
They go – they burn forest with their eyes,
The fire – red bunting fans behind spines.
Fire – the shirt!
But the trousers are sowed!
From plush-velvet –
Like dug out with plow!
Like swarm of demons
They circle around feet.
They walk, beauty from bushes
They whip with twig.
The long road,
The early road.
With wolf walks the kid
Rather than messenger of God.
(What is it to us if our angel
Is with wing or with tail?
May we be by someone served!
May we be by someone loved!)
They go by river-bridge,
They go by bush-wood,
They go by hill-hump,
They go by flint-sand.
The last crumb
Has long been swallowed.
Yegorushka stares:
Fence covered with gold.
Behind the fence – Eden,
Looks: bushes in blossoms,
Between them starlings whistle
On golden poles.
Yegor stops here
Here he <stared>.
Blossom which flowers?
Goats them do not devour!
And wolf repeats, dad,
Wrinkling nose of suede:
“Wherefore do starlings whistle,
When we are not full?”
Like a red spark
Between them burned.
Wolf to the brother: “Sit,
Brother and – once –
Like goat – through the fence –
Into the garden.
And garden – not just garden:
In flowers starlings whistle
Upon the golden poles -
Know garden – the tsar’s garden!
Yegor’s – early trial,
Yegor’s – menacing view:
Wherefore do blossom flowers,
When in chest thunder booms?
And wolf repeats, dad,
Wrinkling nose of suede:
“Why do the starlings whistle,
When we aren’t eating?”
And – so – bushes to scold,
And – so – the fur to rock!
And from the height starlings
Above the wolf’s cunning
Thus they whistle, whistle
On golden poles,
That wolf bites Yegor in butt
With teeth – to grasp the hearts!
And thus grows their anger
With fire-straw.
Now the bushes are in luster,
Poles are broken,
Yegor’s torn-up back,
Yegor’s scary look.
The red hell in the eyes.
And the garden of the tsar?
So?
With scarlet river – pouring,
With white veil – wrapping,
In the sky – dawn appeared,
In the grass – trail appeared.
And on this trail,
On the golden veil,
With smooth foot, like sleep –
Mother with babe.
In white flowers the babe –
Like in snow – the babe,
In white linens the babe –
Like in clouds – the babe,
In the hand the handkerchief
Scarlet-know-checkered,
And the little dove over
The right shoulder.
Yegor has petrified,
At attention stands.
<And here, having dulled the sight,>
The babe babbles to them:
“Why shake the poles?
Starlings – tame are all.
<Why flint in handful?>
Dear are we all.”
And he beckons them by hand,
And he pulls the hand to them,
And whispers to the mother
The word in the ear.
Has gone red Yegor.
And he: “My brother!”
Yegor has gone red –
And so roll out!
Will thunder point blank:
“Your golden fence!
And thief-Yegor I am,
Yegor – I’m no one’s – son!”
And wolf repeats, dad:
“Our not-so-high rank.
Yegor – is wolf’s brother,
Yegor – son of nobody.”
(And the eye of yellow
The birdling did mow).
And with silver laughs.
And the babe says:
“You stop the spite, dear.
To me you’re most dear!
Not only my guest are you
<Not to be through with you…>
Come, Yegor,
To me for the apples!”
In return Yegor
With great impudence:
“What I need – I take,
To devils in hole is my way,
My blood is in heat,
Raw sheep I eat!”
And wolf repeats, - dad,
Boasting the fangs:
“For what devil is the garden of yours.
When we are with teeth!”
<Looking one on another,>
Suddenly – look askance:
With handkerchief the tear
The baby dabs.
Large is the tear,
Checkered handkerchief.
And the spirit dear
On the shoulder did flinch.
Yard in big disarray,
Starlings excited.
<Stands like pole> Yegor,
And crashes all of a sudden!
In moss-turf-dust-sand
Burrows with forehead!
And <the voice> above:
“Do not cry – get settled!”
And spirit holy-repeats,
Flapping the wings:
“Yegor, with single tear
Forgiven is your sin!”
The insolent one prone lies,
Devours ground-dust.
As ice floats, the rower
Works with his shoulders.
Like pood bag-horse
Under the load – breathes!
And from the hands of mother
The babe – bowed down:
“Tear, tear, I’ll grow it again!
There are many seeds!”
For both hands
Of his – for the feet.
***
Yegor opened his eyes:
His eyes he can’t believe!
Where is the Tsar’s fence?
Stands under a tree.
Like with sugar-sand
Showered he stands.
And wolf crawls nearby,
With sated eyes.
And thief-repeats the wolf:
“Now – as in tea room!
What am I wolf-thief,
Remorseful I am!
Oh, my nose into down!”…
And the tree above:
“Tear, tear, I’ll grow it again!
I’ll forgive again, so sin!”
SHEPHERDING
Squirrels have thrown
Peas-nuts.
The pretty shepherd
On the fife-pipe
Drives out longing-boredom,
Evil guest.
Falling to the cane – from anger
Pushes the chest.
From sniffles-that-fife –
Break the cheeks.
From sniffles – from an oak
Squirrels screech.
Thus with nuts into burdock they pour.
Thus light-shepherd is rootless Yegor.
And the sheep? “Such it is:
Fatter than ones of priests.”
And the cows? “Inquire
Of the wolf – petting the fur.”
And the wolves?
“Must click their teeth!”
And the dog? Shepherd, so?
Shepherd, and hot!
And the wolf is grey thus -
In sheepdogs!
In sheepdogs and shepherds,
And to the thief in wit,
And to the flock in dread,
Coached in the deed.
***
In early morning,
In early morning,
Chickens and ducks are sleeping,
On the green meadow to a gathering
Yegorushka calls with his horn.
Cows – are healthy,
Bulls – are hardhorns,
And heifers – just like
Priests who are slender.
Goats – ordered,
Boots with oil covered,
Horn – dagger in it
Only heavy spirit.
The ram – an idiot,
And he’s fat – feel it!
Sheep – trembling with stupor,
Lambs – of Holy Father.
The world’s army all the way
In their way glory the day.
Only the host’s leader –
In the great disorder.
Horn is not dear,
Meadow is not dear,
The goat will jump –
Jump is not dear.
Nut into mouth –
Bitter is the seed.
And stomach hums
If it is good.
What I can’t eat –
To rage all gone!
And for what
Reason rose the sun?
(Let’s manage, Yegor, live worse!
From the good life we’ll hang ourselves!)
The shirt in peas,
Pants without patch,
And with sugar sweet,
Which we add,
And – as if out of barrel - for us!
Devil with tea – we do not pity!
If we had squatted for just once
With wolves – into the meeting –
The fierce moon beneath –
Ruddy – bloated –
And that all of the sheep
Will come to the joker!
***
Until the scary red – with shoulder – push
The bull – hit him in the forehead – click – with lash.
But with the red – splash
Into his eyes and forehead – handkerchief
Ahe ad – why is burning house
Fulminating with thunder of cows!
Bull is dumb -
Yegor still dumber.
Bull is fierce –
Yegor still fiercer.
[How he’ll wave!
How he’ll dance!
How he’ll flare up!
How he’ll breathe!]
From the roar – from thunder
In the forest cows wander,
Goats – on the cliff,
All sheep – in a heap.
Behind roar, behind thunder –
Forehead with forehead, thunder with thunder.
What – the forehead is broken?
No – broken off is horn!
Like with crowbar – into his
Dull forehead: Well done!
Hold tight, Jeremy!
Broken off is second one!
Goats are frisky!
Here, goats!
Sheep flock,
Here, to be viewed!
Cows,
On tidings!
And raven’s old,
And fast is hare,
Valley and grove
Here, here!
Here, here is valley and grove,
Upon the new things and the news!
Look, as the light-Yegor
To bull – on the back – with the foot!
How pushing on the chest with knee
He – grasp - the horns did twist!
How between broken countries
Beats the red handkerchief!
And the fighting spirit amusing
In the spring chill – with the head –
Opening eyes – mouth – nose,
He drinks in his whole breath!
From chagrin
The whole flock
He would into quicksand drive.
Under the pood of the foot
Someone says to him: “Forgive!”
The lamb is flattering,
On the forehead, a star.
And again –
He plays
The pipe.
***
And sun – behind the hills,
And sun – upon the bottom
Of the big blue sea
Endless, lonely.
Like sun – behind the mount,
Thus Yegorushka calls the cows,
The chest tormenting,
The pushing host of sheep
Takes in rows, to regiment-host
He leads a patrol of goats.
From the wolf-rows –
Dusty poles.
Into the eye beats – strong,
Intense dawn,
The generous dawn,
The <happy> dawn,
Like Yegor’s heart–
Red.
“Hello, Light-Yegor,
Of the whole flock – Tsar!”
From all the yards
To him the old and young
Some – a piece of cake;
Some – semi-collar.
(And you’ll get sick,
As praise you hear!)
“Wow Yegor-Light,
Our loyal cowherd!”
The wolf is behind –
The flock he guards.
One – inebriated,
One – a chewed up bit.
(There will not be belching from that feast!)
Well our loyal shepherd,
The light-wolf!
What to such a dog
You would not give!
(One – scraper,
One – slaps,
And when it’s simple – after – vegetable!)
(Fat are the words,
Lean is the food!)
Goats are meek,
Lost are the sheep.
The cows have –
In a globe – udder.
Your name
To sky, Yegor!
***
In the late evening,
In the late evening
Rises angst-sorrow,
Pain eternal.
Dusted off the dust,
Alienated the past,
The crutch died down
On the coffins.
Stars stare
Under the roof of straw.
Only bull roars,
The broken horn.
***
Sleeps, in caftan draped,
Like northern bear.
The flurry confuses thought,
The flurry breaks in hut.
Where midst fellows today
Pillar-support-I will take?
Eh, as for me, Marinushka,
And for you – Yegorushka!
Behind you, without whistling –
To jump – in Siberian snows!
And in the world we would have gone –
The heroic fellows!
You wouldn’t have seen dismay
Rus on the present day –
How to you, Yegorushka,
And to me, Marinushka!
Eh, on all the lips ruddy
I’m a pilgrim just!
Wanderer hoary flurry –
Breaks into the hut!
Headless head,
Fist – with a pillow.
Not to raise the one good
With cannon blow!
***
Not destructive flurry from anger
Aims at window with baton –
In eyes fuming with a splinter
For the shoulder mom touches son.
“Rise, Yegor!
Trouble, Yegor!
Wolf has stolen
Your lamb.
Rise, do not sleep, son!”
And he through the sleep: “For them
In forest I am chosen a tsar!
The whole flock I’ll take apart!”
“Rise, the son-hope! Rise!”
From shoulder she tears the cloth:
Rise, son! – and into jaw
She puts the cake – all not in store!
Crumpled – and through sleep-know-distemper:
“I am fierce once more!”
And now he snores. Mother knows not
How she can raise the good,
And suddenly on all lungs he shouts:
“Stupid shepherd!” Stupid shepherd
Gives his life for the herd!
Yegor jumps up: “What do you need?
Hush, as dear is the throat!”
And at once – into both boots!
Door is ajar: in room – the snow.
Two boots – in the snow!
***
And there the ragged flurry
Sounds: “Let me
Woo for you the purple bride,
Dowry’s full snow-mound!
Heiress of seven winds,
Native of all homelands!”
And he, with askance the hat:
“In what years do they not wed!”
“Yegor” – he sounds off – “listen!
For you shepherding is not!
Yours will dry up the bone.
Will suffocate all your blood!
For rider – the horse!
Fairy-tale stallion and flurry!”
With boot as he stomps in the snow:
“My feet are enough for me!”
Did not calm down one without God:
She swears with blizzard of old,
At the feet like a crazy ram
She throws herself, multiplies in gloom.
“Power-mastership, I’ll give you sword,
Seven ……!”
He hits with fist into the snow:
“With one hand we will do!”
“Got lost! – Makes dust! –
Found! – On fire!
Snowstorm, I’m stupid stick,
I am the fierce flurry!
Hey, my swallows-birds!
Fly into eyes big-eyed!”
He, laughing, spits in the snow:
“She boasts - that’s what broad is for.”
***
[Blizzard, blizzard,
I made the bed,
To the drunk, to the enamored,
To sleepy-like-dead:
To all squalor:
(Me – to you.)]
How not so?
To spite the blizzard
Comes out of the snow
Mound the pressed fist.
Whose is this squashed nose
In the snow? Whose lowered tail?
Who, hurrying, with trot jogs
Through the flurry, without a trail?
Gust in the snow, smells,
Rearing up ear, will
Listen, from the sight – the grove will burn out
And – with fur inside out – the coat.
Jump, chase! Hurry, chase!
Under the steep cliff of forehead
Flurry – raises waves.
And the snow does not melt.
The wolf hurries, the wolf trots.
To him is vershok what for us are versts,
And as …. From takeoff:
What is the branch stub in the snow?
He sniffed – scratching – let out tail,
The donkey – with front paws – rows,
Snow wave – in two waves,
And in the middle – in rose
Shirt – like they go to the crown –
How they here will howl! How they will fly here!
Opening the coat of sheepskin –
Yegor – like a fallen warrior.
“Yegorushka” – he bit the shoulder.
“Yegorushka” – He tore.
Still he bit – again at the nose.
Like oak, that at the night was
Cut. Like oak … with
A limb, threatens blizzard with the fist.
Yegorushka! Thus, brother, must
Not! Yegorushka! Licking the eyes
And liking lips, and licking nose –
He lies. Four teeth
Are thus sown in the lips.
And in the pipe the blizzard
Trumpets: “Inside the honest hearse
I will inter a friend!”
Still hotter is wolf’s breath.
Rising on thin sides
Fur colored, wild
And suddenly – with iron red
With poured and molten lead
……. A tear.
And once – for two – the knoll,
And once – on legs – Yegor.
He stands inside a snow mound,
Wipes eyes with one hand,
With another – scratches the nape.
And it’s so gruff – like he drunk three days:
“And where did I lose the hat?”
He rubs-kindles the face:
“Wolf, I didn’t suckle anyway?”
And, asking such, he gives
A yawn that is so big,
That wolf, without a peep,
Over three versts – to a ravine.
They go by the road,
Upright rod.
By the gap – young man,
Wolf – by Babylon.
He throws up the tail,
He moves the ears.
“Are you eager to reel,
My brother?”
Like not my experience,
Without my cares,
“Spit, you be damned!”
The snow you devour.
How at once
The blush came out.
Because of the ram –
So much fault!
And the fellow:
Are arguments worth
News – conversations
Because of Yegor?
And I am the prince,
Which one is dear?
In every village –
Hundred Yegors!
[Russia gave birth,
Blizzard had covered.
And, having waved,
Smashes him in the snout!]
***
Little road! Little road!
Direct my little boots
On the evil, dark, trace
Snowed in by blizzard.
The thief-my-dog tell me – where –
Did my little lamb carry?
“When you with me, bumpier than all,
Made conversation without gall,
When you with me, the country one,
Made conversation without scum –
And right
And left
And rise
Over tree.
Mother –
Maiden –
Keep thee!
***
Where, where, child?
Do not especially hurry!
Trace-footpath-calls,
The daughter of the highway.
“Though you step, boy, into menace,
I will drive you to the place.
You will walk, like on a rope!”
The stem-tree, Yegor looks,
On the tree – the tall oak,
The tall oak ….
….. is persistent,
Well, Tsar our Peacemaker.
Take off from shoulders sheepskin coat
And branch on branch – column:
On the guard lied down the thief.
And the ravine is underneath.
And from ravine – light of ours!
“He is small – he is ours!
He is white – he is ours!”
Know, our five brothers,
And a lamb in the midst.
And with the voice – cries-oak-pole:
“I am little – I’m a fool,
I am white – I’m a fool!”
Yegor looks: side is torn out!
From the heights like a tiger
Will fall into wolf’s howl!
“He is little – he is mine!
He is white – he is mine!”
And – like rainbow from the ground –
The fool inflexible to cunts!
The wolf, the beast, has been stunned.
One: “Know the Tsar!”
The other: “Know the Tsar!”
And again, in wolf’s tongue:
“To five of us it is thicker!”
The wolf, the scoundrel, did fawn:
One: “Know the Tsar!”
The other: “Know the Tsar!”
Like with a fist upon an oak
He’ll break: Climb, while loved you are!
The wolf, the vile one, how he whined!
One: I will tear!
The other: I will tear!
And suddenly – with a trot light –
With step - with slink – the wolf-mother!
And headlong scoundrel and the scum:
One: Mother!
The other: Mother!
And like in a requiem
Suddenly all at once: “In-sul-ted!”
….. by the stove:
A slap – to one,
A slap – to one,
She gifted all in their turn.
And suddenly, with snout measuring,
Into the stomach: “The wolf’s taste!”
And pitifully – snow mound had howled! –
“Son, forgot!
Puppy, forgot
The wolf’s song!”
And – with paws on the chest!
And – with the voice – snow mound will sour:
“Son, return!
Puppy, return!
Sheepskin – disguise - discard!
Over the wolf’s land entire
I will put you up as Tsar!”
…….
…..
And here – within the forest palace –
One: Brother!
The other: Brother!
And the third, most torn
And that one in return:
“Here for us! I’m tired of your face!
I’m not to you – tsar,
I am to flock – tsar!”
And once with right hand – left hand
Three! – eldest! – from chest!
She froze, shaking the cold.
The old one: Dog!
The whole flock: Dog!
And taking him by the calves:
“Hold, the dog’s blood!”
Trotting, the she-wolf in the back:
“He was fed,
He was given drink
By my wolf’s nipple!
To judge him – by his rank!
Come for questioning, Yegor!
She licked? - In shine!
You sucked? – In suction!
And how with dark time
She shined the eye?
I remember.
………………..
Remember the former bread-salt.
We’re thin, you are sated!
Give back the sheep! Closed
With eyelashes are your eyes!
Yegorushka, look in the eyes,
Look on fur-my-gray hair!
Yegor, the she-wolf inquires!
Yegorushka!” – But dumb and deaf
Is Yegor. With veins forehead swells.
Look menacing. Breath unequal.
And – with forehead on snow – “Guilty!
Guilty! Tear to bits!
Guilty! Won’t give back to sheep!
Grasp! Do not move anywhere!
Why, cowards, don’t you tear?”
And – once – wolf and the crows:
One: Mine!
The other: Mine!
To him she-wolf with tremor: “Be gone!” –
Fed by me – by me eaten!
Pray, Yegor! Thus: “smack” in air!
Farewell, brother!
Party, brother!
And at the feet: “I won’t give”
Brother stands: fur
On end. And with wrath:
“The fang not to leave!
Like you are to me brother in milk.
Thus I am to you – by the bread!
Farewell, brother! I’m behind.”
“No, brother, here for two there is no place:
Fooled alone – I’ll die by myself!”
And above the argument of theirs
She-wolf stands with hot breath.
With spit-jet he drips on argument:
“It’s time, Yegor! Yegor, it’s ancient!
I don’t wait! – Jumped up the womb!”
Yegor sighed. On the tree with the lamb –
Upon the whole century
Look, how show flares up, suddenly!
With great-rage-bonfire
Burns, burns the tree of the Tsar!
And – headlong – the wolf’s rabble!
It burns! – And flame in the middle
Burns! – as in vestment of expense
The lamb that knows no death.
Forever…
***
“Rise, Yegor! You’ll finish sleeping later!
The day is screeching at the gates!” And
Yegor looks: with bonfire-tent
In the eyes – the dawn is wide.
The wolf, slaying fleas, in foot
Is hunched over in a hook.
“So, the third samovar has died out,
All the bagels will be drying!
Rise, you bum!” On legs – the lope
Yegor, putting on sheepskin coat.
Stares-stares into dawn-rising sun,
Stares-stares without waking up.
He stares – as if lost the soul!
As if he choked on gold!
And wolf: “Who lost the hat – to him
Is the crown being milled!”
MERCHANTS
The husbandless widow, like a dove,
Merchants asked in the night:
“It’s far from the city, widow!”
The broad sees: grey beards.
Second – first, and third – second gray –
And let in the foreign men.
Did not manage to work the hands –
The samovar was shaken by them.
Did not manage the fur to shake out –
The samovar hit them with the sparks.
Icicles didn’t from mustache depart –
Ready for them is samovar.
Did not drink from full glass –
Under them are laid the clothes.
Did not chew half the slice filling –
And for them are the beaten pillows.
Did not shake from mustache the crumbs –
And he is ready to lie down.
So she got wet, hustling, caring.
And to the old one: “Good laborer!”
And to the second: “Hands of gold!”
And to the third: “Don’t labor, granddaughter!”
She had no time to lead eyelashes to eyes –
And all three will shout at once:
“On, daughter! No way – flyer!
Flyer-grabber! Flyer-snorer!
Take for ransom the whole treasury!”
And she, smiling meekly:
“Do not labor, granddads! Snake does not fly –
Snores the son-my-light!”
Rang the treasury beyond chest.
And old one: “Proverb is great!”
And the second one: “Whistle is not bad, truly!”
And the third: “Wonder-truly!”
And altogether: “Widow, forgive us:
We have seen different widows!”
Still distemper did not subside –
One to other they put spines.
Still the cross-didn’t create-commandments –
And snuff old one with the second –
She did not have time…
Thus all three will jump up at once!
“Oh, widow!
He-he – flyer!
Flyer – snorer!
Flyer – grabber!
Our drop of blood spare us!”
And she with an even voice:
“Do not turn, granddads! Snake doesn’t snort!
Thus son-my-light snores.”
They went blue in the face, rag-like,
And to old one: “Good to snore!”
And to second one: “The fife is not light!”
And to third one: “Future hero, know!”
And altogether: “Such, widow, is your face:
He is flattering, snake, to the willows!”
Only thread into needle goes –
And he is asleep and snores,
Only won’t take inside out the seam –
The lice jump on them.
Needle cannot be stuck in satin –
All three jump at the same time!
“Oh, night!
What so, one who flies!
Seize, snorer!
Seize, grabber!
… loud
And from seam she did not look:
“Do not quarrel, granddads! Doesn’t snort snake:
You son-my-light sighed!”
They drank the blue-lye.
And old one: “Was it a good night’s stay?”
And second one: “You know, by sins of ours!”
And third one, with monk’s quiet
Bent, so that linen-know-bag
Quietly crawled under the bench.
He crawled with crawl – with jump he jumped out.
“OH, honest mother! Oh, with the brush!
Mikola-Ugreshensky-light!
He does lie down and scratch!”
Did not time to give the cross in report –
Thus at once the door was shut!
Know, in company, to pots-to stoves,
In pans they trample, in pelvises,
They thrash about with rabble of sheep,
They swear with merchant’s dignity…
Cook into batter, in jug-hurt-kvas….
Thus the three shouted at once.
And voice from pipe:
“Keep! Keep!
In my hour of sleep!
To hell with ye!
Where is your decency and grace?
Upon the very face
To jump like an elephant!
Devil shake you! In my hour of sleep!
Moles, out of the hole and into light!”
Yegorushka did push out
All of the thieves of him ahead!
And he – on lintel with forehead
Will sigh! – will wipe the forehead!
And together with lintel – in the hut!
He bellows: “And so, the rowing ones!
Tell me the gainful enterprise!
The body with a flame labeled –
Tell me the shoulder build!
Name-rank-patronymic-title!”
He looks – and so bursts into laughter!
“Oh you fools! Oh gone ones!
Oh, you junk of great-grandfather!
Oh, you blank guns!
Oh, you hefty thugs!
The three elders of the church?
So what are you – for the old age?”
The old one went forth:
“We glory in all Rus.”
Second: “By name call me –
In all Rus honored are we.”
Third: “Till very Sysran
We trade chausibles, cloth of gold,
Candles, incense.
We do not need your goods.”
They stand, into window pressing.
Old one: “Farewell, bears!”
Second one: “Farewell, shoemaking!”
Third one: “Though from your painting
Yours – all – with cartilage they hum –
They as merchants to me come!
What will you say, trade home?
And they: “The deed of an oak!”
“What will you say, desperate mother?”
And she: “Much honor.”
“On the hands, so, good man? In good time!”
And the three – as they jump at once!
Oh, mother!
-----!
-----!
-----!
We cannot see rows-trade-stores!”
And, falling on his side, Yegor:
“Granddads, fall through! Not a serpent
Thus brother-my-light….!”
Like braid on braids - unraveled.
And old one: “Know, sip is good!”
And second one: “Not bad – good!”
And third one: “Is not the full stallion?
Does the jester not jump on you, Savras?”
And all three – they will jump up at once!
“Hold! Hold!
He – the trotter-beast!
Trotter – snorer!
Trotter – grabber!
…… beast is unheard!”
And without breath, read, Yegor:
“Sober up, granddads! Not beast-he-shore:
My-light shepherd is the brother!”
They baptized under scary tower,
Hats-fur coats hurry,
Look forgetful, look that doesn’t know,
All give to hostess in a bow:
And she: “Do not seek, the ones old,
Because this is my woman’s deed…
I boiled for you, priests, fatty shchi…
And to the old one: “Merchant, in sleeves!”
***
Throws off on the young man
Her cotton wool blouse.
For a long on her son
Her mother had gazed.
(At no time, sons,
Do I need to give you birth!)
“You forgive-farewell, my son!
We depart not for long!
What is ten days to the son,
To the mothers is thousands!
Being born around the corner –
You will rise up to the father!
Your way has wandered to the heights –
Bow, as we will meet!
To you, eagle, I do not put
Humility of the heart.
As if the tsar did not press –
Do not bend with the sedge:
Within the cradle you had lain
With the uplifted head!
What is jester to you – from tipster!
Into the streams – healing!”
He gets from the suitcase
The boot of silver.
“Sometime gilded I had been,
White from senility,
Thus is parted from dear one,
Without couple – just like me!”
Polish him, my friend,
With chalk without gaffe.
That upon the icon the friend
Would come out pretty.
What is for the track of dad…”
And from wing – to the wind:
“Thus century is given to us –
To part for centuries!”
***
The new harness jumps on the sides,
Ring the bells.
You strum-ring, Valdai, for merchant’s happiness!
We take into the shop the new counterman!
Russian, simple, clumsy soul!
Scarlet dawn shines on the white snow.
You shine, dawn, shine into all windows!
To maidens we carry an icon that’s new!
Blushed one, …….. plush pants…
Say, not beyond sea – written in Ryazan!
You ring, Holy one, ring in all the belfries!
The new damper we carry to God as one!
***
Like over ground, which,
Meek, they did not plow,
One is daring – waved the kerchief!
……..
Let out from the counter…..
Fellow, I must,
He did not cherish his hands,
He did not cherish his hands,
For merchants he raked the bunch.
The fellow, look, with the soul!
And at the counter – old – column.
“Well, merchant?
How ….?”
And in response:
…………
And the face has reddened, like beet.
Means my whole spine has gone wet!”
“To know the sack in full
Grabbing – I praise!
Write the null
To the null!
Hotshot, do not waste the words!
The little brother of ours did not err!”
…….
“Where’s ringing-treasury?”
And in response:
“Which treasury?
Your word I do not understand –
Thus is the first day of my trade!”
Merchant sees:
Sheep – to sheep!
“Are you with a moron,
With fool, young one?
With the fig - without treasury and sun –
And Yegor, wandering: “You make fun?”
……………….
The merchant feared:
………………
“Where is all
My brocade …… ?
…. Of business?”
And Yegor: “Twist the shafts!”
Thus they had rowed,
Father, they rowed,
Thus I to all
Returned the ruble!
To your burgundy look shout they!
See, your trade’s first day
And the priest is
One – how he rows!
And to wedding….
And to coffin….
I conduct – like with dear sister
I’ll spin! – wherefore
He upset!
And thus one Titus –
Saved thus.
Like fox grown old,
Shouts, although bald,
All brick-my tile-take away!
For he did not shout, he gave joy!
And General –
One – corporal:
Thrushes I thrashed,
Azov I did take,
And such I see not still –
First day of trade, I see!
Merchant exhausted,
…..
“Oh wax my shore!
Oh incense…!
Oh firs-my iconic-tear!”
And, rolling up the sleeves, Yegor:
“At first with word
You learn the good!
And if we don’t understand –
Then with the belt.
All goats are cows in the eyes:
It is only the first trade day!”
Here on the shoulder with one old:
“You, fellow, look, with the soul!
The years will come – reason will come…
We will wait till another time!”
Tuesday
Upon the land where … they had christened,
The daring one was scratching the braids.
Dawn, the brush-crash-comb, crush! And
Let the baby eagle out of the counter!
Fellow, I must,
He did not cherish his hands,
He did not cherish his hands,
For merchants he raked the bunch.
Fellow, at the looks of it – hero!
And second – a column at counter.
“Well so, merchant,
What God gave us?”
And in response:
“Thus God gave us,
Like patronal holiday of yours!
Dad, added your goods!”
The merchant jumped:
“Where’s heat-treasury?”
And in reply:
“I said – treasury!
All other music has gone:
Of treasury there is none!”
Like I had said
The word: payment,
So the wail
Has come, babel!
“He became foolish… lost his mind?
Who sells the product at a price?”
As shake I will:
“Merchant has willed!”
Thus you, urchin,
They shout, without mustache!
They will bark altogether:
“Only to be rude to tsar’s order!”
“What order –
I whisper – what decree?
“And here is order,
Shout, decree:
To all the merchants, young and old:
For nothing sell the goods in whole!”
How I will swing,
Bang – on the feet!
Oh you penny,
They shout, patsy!
Rot in the king’s pit –
Not the first day of your trade!
……………..
Merchant
…….
“Fog-drugs,
Deceit howls!
Not to tsar, but to beasts-vermin,
Hit on the road with forehead!
Your mind is weak,
Your pocket whistles,
My purse is stiff,
Clean is my income!
Oh my rubles profiting my world!”
And, rolling up the sleeves, Yegor:
“Like my especial warehouse,
Like the head comes out weak,
That ahead – fresher – are my brains,
Overlay me, father, on the neck!”
On the second shoulder here:
“You, fellow, must be a hero!
And the fool – not from foolish eye?
We will wait till another time!”
Wednesday
Like upon the earth, with hungry Sidorov’s goat,
The daring she – played with monist…
Demand, in all the rubles dawn!
Resurrect from counter the falcon!
Fellow, I must,
He did not cherish his hands,
He did not cherish his hands,
For merchants he raked the bunch.
And to look – the kid of kids!
And to counter – column – third.
“But so, merchant,
How’s heat-treasury?”
And in response:
“Such is treasury,
And the master our people wastes!
Granddad, there won’t be enough of your camps!
Of all ahead,
Pass for us, Dad!”
Jumps up merchant:
“Well, pour, man!”
And the wolf, grinning from under feet:
“All – up to the sun have promised!”
The merchant startled:
…………….
“Oh you Ryazan,
Shouts, Kazan!
Oh you my-fool-scattered Rus~
I have sown…….. all the merchandise!
So as not……
………………………….
Here is for you the Russia holy!”
And Yegor, with a great sorrow:
“Why is it vain the words
In mouth to grind?
Who blundered –
Him to bite.
With bell-push-like it-overhead!
I do not understand your trade!”
Thus on shoulder
His third:
“As in tower –
Kid – kids!
……………….
We will await another time!”
Thursday
As over earth, with hut maple, ashen,
Ungirdled – one daring.
Spread out, in all silk spilled dawn!
Let out from the counter the happy one!
Fellow, I must,
He did not cherish his hands,
He did not cherish his hands,
For merchants he raked the bunch.
With hemp he didn’t trade –
With brocade.
And from the counter –
Column – elder.
“But so, merchant,
How’s ringing-treasury?”
And in response:
“Well yes, treasury!
Whole, you know, bag potbellied,
The treasury loves me not!”
The merchant roared:
“And who? And what?”
And in response:
“Scold, as you want!
It appears, weak is my head –
Moscow money I won’t understand!
He started to shout –
Log-with log!
Such chill and waste
In the bones!
And in ears, beehive-bees,
“Miscounted” to you buzz.
…………………..
Went the noise.
Suddenly someone: Once!
Great, godfather!
Scratch the nape, say I!
And when did you get baptized?
How it’s often –
Grain with grain!
As in milk
I lie in twain.
Equally thick-I slurp-cottage cheese.
And he knows: forty-six,
Five till six,
Six till seven.
“How not to count, grumbles
All the darkness!
As if he something forgot …
I see, false is your count!
Thus the article,
Grumbles, here is poem!
Let me be checking
On my own!”
And the wolf, over tail attempting:
“He sits all the time, comparing.”
The merchant sighed:
“…….. you are a goose!”
And “Wonder do I!”
In response:
…………..
To know so…. Thus: Yegor…
For me to three,
Is not to count, dad.
How born you’ve been –
Thus you remained.
….
Here on shoulder
Of his – one old:
“Erred not with
Hemp but cloth of gold –
And like diamonds are your eyes!
We will wait another time.
Friday
As on that land, lovelier than which you have not seen,
Threw off the skirt the daring one.
Twist, dawn, into all your garments,
Let out the thug from the counter.
Fellow, I must,
He did not cherish his hands,
He did not cherish his hands,
For merchants he raked the bunch.
In sky itself,
Hit me with mountain!
And to the counter
Second column.
“But so, merchant,
How’s ringing-treasury?”
And in response:
…. Treasury.
Now there is a deed of another kind:
None of your vershok is sold, not one.
Stares the merchant:
……………….
As if flood itself
It passed with the wave.
“Your samovar screams in frenzy!
And again gave away for free?
You’re a vampire,
The jackal shouts!
And the answer:
“I rallied, father!
…………………
All your merchandise till last thread is pilfered!
Not the head –
Watermelon, dad!
I’ll swing – I’ll wake up,
I’ll swing – I’ll wake up.
Like a Chinese man like a dummy,
I lie in the cradle – I wander.
Shake it -
I’ll again dive:
And thus it
Through dream at night:
For what reason, brothers, I thought,
All for other – you dream of broads?
And how for that sin –
The cricket.
Wolf, I request,
Watch out!
In Persian eyes a pea –
Maybe, of some broad you will dream.
With a bag
He lay down.
Here in a row
Wolf – to him:
“Grumbled, chomped, like that,
And I stood at the counter, dad.
The monk, I see,
With priest wanders.
How they will see
As wolf – to merchant:
“Give away, they shout, wind in floor!
The Unclean one comes to throne!”
And are cowards
People of yours!
Shaky beret -
I barely stir:
“Turn, they shout, Rus, by tracht!
The Unclean one among the merchants!”
…………
………..
Thus Yegor
Interrupts him:
“And, you know, instead of maidens,
Some trifles are in my dreams:
As I have found
Morel-mushroom …”
Thus in a row
The wolf – to him:
“Although my look, I sing, is wonderous,
Still for a hryvna I am selling this.
I see – the lame one
Walks……
We have come to agree, -
And no:
“Good, he says, the shop is,
And very scary is the merchant!”
Who will not rise,
Father – swears.
I bore, I bore,
And heels the slumber –
For what, I think, brothers,
I dream of sheep as another?
I want one poop
For the taste!
I’ll swing – I’ll wake up,
I’ll swing – I’ll wake up, -
……
Maybe – will come in dream?
So: Samovar
In eyes – gear:
In a row
To him – Yegor:
“While counted-glasses-saucers,
Sunk your whole trade, father.”
How he clutched
On bald patch:
“But how screams
My samovar?”
“And with … take leave:
From … we must drink tea!”
The merchant pants,
Sweats like in bath.
What is this dream,
… preserved for thee –
…………………………………..
To the scoundrel in parish, brothers!
And the wolf in voice to Yegor:
“Carry, father!
We’ve come together, father!
Make me rich,
… father!
After such torture – I bargain,
As it’s spacious – as if the noose I tighten!”
Wails Yegor:
“While healthy I am –
I will die of
Incense steam!”
And wolf in fellow’s defense:
“He went lousy in his gold cloth!”
On his shoulder
Second one:
“I wont’ choke you,
Do not howl!”
Not smeared with honey is the way!
Another time we will await.
Saturday
As on the earth, where broad painted the Satan,
The daring one – fell under the curtain.
Roll up, dawn, fall, dawn, on honest sleep!
Finished is our hotshot deed!
Fellow, I must,
He did not cherish his hands,
He did not cherish his hands,
For merchants he raked the bunch.
Into his
Empty forehead!
And to counter –
Column – third.
“Well what, merchant.
How is your trade?”
He looked – from lips
Comes out the word:
Merchant is our breadwinner, he sees:
Instead of hands – lathers the string.
What is all this,
Speaks, falcon?
And in response:
“Know, day has come.”
And wolf, latching, like a bell rings:
“Each night of me you will dream!”
………
Don’t poke your head, granddad!
Credit-ruble-getting and:
“Get for your string.”
And the hook
Stares-hook.
Here interrupts
Him the wolf:
“We don’t suck your blood veins:
The village remains!”
Merchant flared up!
“Brother – has hung!
You on the ground.”
Working, thunders.
…..
You are pure gold to me!
To me the forehead,
Fool – is dumb!”
And in the hearts:
“We know – is dumb.
Though with switch you whip me on the eyes –
I won’t endure the tears of a child!”
I sit here,
With treasury, father,
And the voice
Comes through in doors,
Like mosquito rings o’er blue sky above,
Thus the wet aspen in the stove.
Just like a crack
She sings in glass….
Fellow in rags,
I see this:
Cupola-golden-head...
“The string, he says, lend!”
“And light to thee
I laugh, is not dear?”
And answers he:
Fierce is the master.
As I played snowballs with Kolya,
I dropped penny on the snow.
Like crystal-
Rings-ice cream:
“Gild, hear,
It rings!
And won’t give the string – thus in hole!”
What, I say, is the hurry?
Since such a man
Is in the kink,
Who will go
To serve the king?
And thus to pour in pockets he went!
Apportion, I say, the command!
Like in the sieve
Pouring the water.
“The thin pocket
Is ringing, father!”
“And thin one, whistle, I say!”
He pressed to him the whole bag.
Cloudy became
The tetanus – fellow:
And to remember,
How he babbles – how?
“Remember, I say, the hare!
Not my ringing – the owner!
Thus with cornflower
He covers sight:
Did you, Yegor
Of me forget?
How we promised in leaves and in flora:
And has dried – there is no one!
With wings – splash
Like a dove!
“It came true,
(Merchant) fellow!”
(And from every eye hollows,
Blooming stamens on light – wrinkles).
“Like Rus stands –
Sought for you.
You have worn out
The only shoes.
You did not know, losing the strength,
At which side we should you await.”
Yegor stands,
Bag in his hands.
“Cover with gold!”
He wheezes: “let go!”
And not – write on bald head!
I’ll leave like goblin without pants!
And on the shoulder
Is the third:
“Well, his nature,
Grumbles, is bold!
For him to order is whole life!
We will await another time!”
***
Sunday
(Departure)
As over the earth, behind red curtain,
From sleep broke out the daring one!
Come out, dawn, with bucket, with width, with liquor,
Behind blue mountains conduct me, the eagle!
Must be, fellow,
The merchants you did not outgrow,
The merchants you did not outgrow,
Cracked the whole bunch!
……..
…….
And from carts –
Column – brothers.
“Good is the wagon,” –
For him – old one.
And – horse is wild! -
To him – the second.
And the third: …….
“And on me the saddle does not stand!”
“Be brave, falcon!”
To him – old one,
How stands the trunk
In forest – thick,
Not saying any word of fools:
Recall the old one, tell!
Hero, see!
Second to him,
And where the mountain
Agreed with mountain,
“Come apart, say, the mansions!
Bow, say, to the second one!”
“Fire, see!”
To him the third,
Like river stallion
Will make ill deeds,
“You’ve gone insane, say, fool! Below –
Don’t scold, I say, Nicola!”
The one that’s old
Begins a talk:
“Like all your trade
From shoulders you’ll shake off”
Request from stump-invalid
The old man in painted hat.
Bow to you, say, from three,
From three merchants,
See, brothers,
I am myself, see, just that boy,
That – skinned alive – will not cry!
On all the deeds,
Able one, scream!
A water lily
He will give,
Clearer than silver – day of God!
The dove is being set above.
Do not dare
To give the treasury.
The third bow
To earth to give,
“Be grateful,……
From all the Rus….
Although that jug
Is simple on sight –
Was holy to you
More than the eyes,
Don’t try yourself – watch this!
That in hum there are hidden riches.”
“Observe the law!”
To him – old one.
“Don’t flatter wives!”
To him – second one.
And the third: “Do not crash, brothers!
They’ll write you holy above all others!”
“Grow up, Yegor!”
To him – old one.
“Be strong, Yegor!”
To him – second one.
And third, with harsh tenderness:
“Bow to me for two words!
Like in cradle
Sleep we cannot,
Thus our life
To go back does not want –
Thus you know, my simple fool,
That to third one – into heart you grew!”
“Farewell, Yegor!”
To him – old one.
“Farewell, Yegor!”
To him – second one.
And third – know, touch, frost!
To third one cannot say a word.
***
The dirt road has passed,
Got up, turns around:
Upon a knoll three firs
Are swinging – grey-haired.
They swing – they say farewell.
The old one – with finger threatens,
The second one – a bow makes,
The third one – keeps with cross.
SERAPH-CITY
But Yegor does not hear. From round
Cheeks – has gone Yegor’s color.
On hills step-sided, swarthy
Awaits the azure city wondrous.
He did not raise the worker’s hand,
From first century – existing then,
With hard work of arms of the Lord
Was let down the cloud on the land.
And as they ring stand the belltowers,
And fly belltowers in the dawns.
And not to you, revolts and wars,
To crush the wondrous town…
Sighed Yegor: “Oh town, my town!”
Like the glance by the root tears out,
Looks on boots: just like glass!
What is this marvel: has dried!
Instead of river-seas – gurgle brooks,
To kids – on ringing – hurry in pursuit.
“We hurry, Yegor, to Seraph-city!
Hurry, Yegor, to Seraph-city!”
Thus sets foot Yegor step by step:
He wants to take off shoes – cannot wait!
And when twice set foot – there grew grass,
And when third one set foot – sweet grape bunch.
He stomped for three more steps –
And, like dug in, stands at the gates.
Stared – and thus froze!
Casually, rashly – like colorful ray,
The eye-studded peacock’s tail.
You, know, painter much paints:
………
And with varnish and gold,
Not salve – a caress!
And all collars –
With eyes, with eyes.
And with this yellow paint – with blood do not argue!
And with what ringing rings the azure!
Say, each smear
Is thought of, considered,
And in each eye
Is written the pleaser.
Thus this painter dares to paint:
And with this shout scarlet one shouts!
In the nude – there is no end!
All of them as is he added!
All windows with dwellers,
And one empty place there.
And, sighing, Yegor – to wolf:
“Though our look be grey,
Would be good, bro, in the room –
To take over the flat!”
And wolf to him with a horn,
Envious, pitying:
“All scum-written-bastards, alone
I’m not in there written!
And… good, …. Good,
And… good, - only I’m not cute!
Let in, he shouts!
Meet, he shouts!
Who here keeps keys,
Eagle, let in!”
Not that, the sump, he shouts –
The end to all the gods!”
Like, in glass, a wellbore,
Quietly in lock key sang,
Has motioned the wall,
Has opened the gate.
In her – a grey beard,
From two elbows, possibly,
Onto the light she peers……..
“Who grumbles here?”
He will look thus – clap the gate!
For what you, grumbles, and for what!
There, grumbles, if you please:
In pants – and the wolf’s face!
And we, to him Yegor, from three,
From three merchants… brothers may be.
And wolf: “There are a lot of deeds:
We pinned down after water lily.”
… “How are you sly!” - the keykeeper –
“And how I know you?” – Yegor.
“And further then, for honor?
“No how: I’m all – Yegor.”
Gatekeeper realized: “It became – thus!
But, free is entrance, he thus says.
The bows have swayed,
Opened the gates.
Yegor has stepped, and he: “No, drop it at once!
You, say, be our guest, come in!
And let this one wither –
We do not have wolf cub, brother!”
“Well so, to him, as you like, Yegor!
How you want, and without him do not enter!
Without godfather to mansion
I’ll spit – though you call to heaven!
….. the keykeeper with keys.
Oh you…. The rebel grumbles!
Be after you – probing!
And – two flaps wide open.
And – opening the stare –
Into the city stares Yegor.
***
He stepped – and he recoiled!
The fireman the river rolls [boils].
The wave thunderous and red
Roar, thunder, shine, with fever rage.
He looks: Not human river –
With the fire it burns!
And to the meeting on the water
Soldier goes with the wings.
And to Yegor: Who may it be?
I, say, from brothers three,
The close fellow of theirs,
Sent after the pitcher.
……………………
Suddenly he barks: be on guard!
All fishes in the whole abyss,
In river with pointed up tails.
He steps upon the river shore
And: See! Heed the command. With spurs
For your simple temper
I will without MUSTU translate.
As will be flame in the middle,
Thus will be howl and bawl –
Turn into stone, like a tower.
Sabbath for us – now look around!
The second one then will become:
Won’t take the water with the arms.
Her composition is so:
You’ll get wet – you won’t wash off.
And third one, thinking, ordered:
How won’t hit off the horror,
I ask docilely further –
With the black word don’t swear.
On shore-stomped-end,
I bent the knee: “saddle!”
…………………
Forget - ……………..!
***
The wave, like camel, humpbacked,
Breath fiery, carbon monoxide.
Yegor sits at the service
Above, and wolf – on person.
Thus Holy Trinity and rod:
Soldier-winged, Yegor and rogue,
Among the wave florid –
With the three-headed ogre.
Yegor sits – and is not glad:
What is this soldier winged?
What is the witch’s river?
What is the foamy water?
And the wolf echoes whispering:
“It’s good with tail – but with wing?
And where are such taken?
What is this non-Russian land?”
Steeper is wave, greater is roar,
Behind the spine is half the road.
Suddenly they’ll roar and howl:
“Do not trust! He’ll drown!”
Yegor is silent, doesn’t blow in mustache,
Pulled the cap over the eyes.
(Eh, lied, the one sly!
Still there is no – mustache!)
Like through war-goes-through array,
We went a verst half the way,
Again the roar of thousand lips:
“Beware! He will miss!
You don’t walk upon waves – stand!”
With a forty-lips angst
The abyss swept up, not with wave
Wave – failure – goes to waste.
And way – accomplished – in these times.
To the land – arshin with tops.
Suddenly the dull scream:
“Turn around! Have mercy on me!”
They saw with saws!
They prick with prongs!
With needles they
Want to gouge out eyes!
How simplicity will turn around!
He did not knock from screw the head!
The bag from head, from lips – demon,
Himself in water, to get the bag!
There check to him and a checkmate,
How not the soldier-thus-winged
Without any effort
He did not catch the wings.
And here, pressing to chest [fist] bag:
“Where you had said – there lead!
It is not for me to be great,
When someone is crying for help.”
Grumbles soldier: “There, bum!
Broke three articles in time!
Upon your pity come and look,
What has become of the bag!”
…………………………..
Just like a gilded bag!
Shine-dust-heat-pitch frenetic!
Thus is water of fireman!
Thus on his shoulder the corporal:
“Well ….., - he says – does not lie!
What you were called – is what you are,
You came out of the deed with honor.
Who’s silent on order: Save us!
He is not to us from Holy Rus,
Who from the devil doesn’t make noise –
Upon that neck there is no cross.
Thus, Russian all around, you became –
Death from the bag you don’t pass away!
We go, my gentle falcon,
Into the hero’s town!”
FALCON’S TOWN
Yegor has stepped. The dawn in face
Strikes – the raspberry flame.
The promised land –
The falcon’s town!
The swords beat out,
The crowns beat out,
And they are eating rolls of bread,
And thus – the Russian land! –
With fists they fight.
“The forgers-forged
The hot workers,
The chests are wide,
Why do you painfully work for?”
“We forge the swords for Russian
Host, not today’s baby lions,
To grandsons – evil is the cloud!
For men we forge garlands.”
“Let me one time!”
“Please, my son!”
The pood hammer
Takes the cut.
Hit after hit –
Be patient, fiery!
The sidekick chained –
For four rays –
How he has seized his kid
From furnace onto his hand!
But blow, but blow
From all the cheeks.
Good, and now buzz,
Cross unto cross.
Good is the cross,
It’ on time for him.
A bit – marvelous.
With the field, be?
The grand child was ashamed,
Himself does not know what he hammered.
The praised has gone
In measure, in sight.
Where marvelous!
What-from-beliefs?
Instead of Son of Mother of God–
In the middle with bald head!
They grumble, with Nicolas’s beard –
From birth such they do not beat!
Do not our eye deceive –
From birth such they did not sew.
One: of the sea!
Another: no, stop!
And you with trot,
With the field scream?
Not the messenger, you Pinsk whore,
Polish tsar, the pope of Rome?
Yearned,
Simple is soul!
I forged not –
The arm is gone whole!
For one family, falcons!
And is there (falcon’s) throne?
Tell me the law!
Create a bow!
In forests baptized,
In water baptized…
Either Savlov’s, either Pavlov’s –
The demon-fiends, get off!
Loud is the throat,
Bad is the joke.
One: How?
Second: Oh well?
………..
………….
………..
Yorka is lost!
………..
Thus they caught the little one,
As with a spade for him a satellite.
Falcons ugly!
Hammers not rusty!
A little one you can’t –
Right is his act!
At the end overhead –
<I suppose> his side.
An alien you can’t:
Another is his act.
To a fir tree gave birth God:
Fully you won’t unload!
You at him with a hammer –
And he with an anvil!
In him juices are hot,
Quick to an insult!
You onto him with minister,
And he – with belltower!
With oak – he with oak forest!
With ice rink – he with laundry!
You do not like the cross?
Will balk for an hour.
With grass he, or with berry,
Eagles-swans, see!
He is not bad, that he is malign,
But is bad, that he is unseen.
The glaze has dried out?
The eyes have adapted?
Thus do not spit, falcons,
Without shame, without conscience.
Without reason – without mind
Upon the current day:
Say, the same raw ground
With the news began!
The ends <as if> short-equal?
The smooth place in the middle?
The needed times are fulfilled,
The place with master is filled.
………
By his, Yegor, image.
And this novelty will come
Under his, Yegor’s, name
To shine on the poised chest
Of the whole Orthodox host –
Steppe in Tula, sea in Gatchina,
Recruits – soldiers,
Epaulets – to beavers,
All infantry, all wrinkled,
<To grain community, to the military,
Crowned with army share>
Let Rus on the tsars – with forehead knock.
And price of the honest cross
Large is the bet, scary is cash – and
<Without merit> - you won’t put on.
With nothing, Ivan’s Russia land,
Besides as with a wound
Honest, with a torn out chest,
We cannot reach Yegor’s cross.
….. that with shaggy hair
Head is rigid and is hand –
It’s not bad to remember,
Eagles, of Christ the Lord:
Barefoot I have come,
And the tramps have believed.
You have loved the little one –
This is his great deed.
To hang out the forests
With willow and pussy-willow.
To let out the cordial,
To let out the diligent –
In the four directions
For us in Rus indeed
Throne – the quick deed.
***
Bakers-baker,
Tonsils-sugar,
Paper flowers,
What do you sculpt, brothers?
And has slept the clear-red
March – the ninth date?
The grandsons… for
We the larks store!
How to shake… the bags
One torment without torments:
About hooks they will be pensive,
And we to them – with a raisin!
Acquainted, please!
The fast man takes
Lump of rich batter,
And wolf into the side pierces:
I do not want your bakery!
Baked on the side,
In bones defect.
Takes into mouth
Blue-fur pants:
With such baker fear-trembling!
God knows whom you’re making blind!
Shrubs-bushes,
…… tricksters,
Kinky shavings,
Whom are you serving, brothers?
Like Moscow will burn the homes –
In all the kingdom there’s no boards!
At times with stepsons these
We store up on the beekeepers.
Empty is altar,
And all resurrects:
“Craftsman, allow!”
“Take, the grass.”
And wolf at him with invective:
“Don’t indulge with planer, I am saying!”
For that the craftsman,
So old, so ahead.
Is in it king? -
Mess in the head.
From this art’s two hands –
Hide under bush, I say!
Clear windows,
Red handrails,
Straight columns,
The temple in two lights –
To whom is this home most fair?
Carry without coffins, is order.
Good and naked!
And we to them – oaky.
All presses-one-beep,
What to translate?
Not splints, not shavings for thee –
And we to them – with servants.
“Let me, father!”
“My son, please!”
He takes the grass, and
Wolf from feet:
High, falcon, have you flown!
To some construction, to some footnote!
Though wolf-the-beast,
Pedestrian is century –
Measure at first,
Then cut away –
Swing the medicine of yours –
Will not come the given place!
So, Yegor, me and you they’ll take –
The bloodlines add.
Looks Yegor: the stove is red.
Heat up, heat, heat.
Around the stove – crackle-sparkle,
Inside the stove – noise-Ladoga.
Looks Yegor: where is it scary?
Heat, heat, heat up.
Her…, oak – with twig,
Not in the house – elephant will fit!
Around the stove – people spin,
Rages alloy the stove within.
“No, this is liquid, this is dense!
Eh, three troubles in years three!
Though swallow empty tool in mouth!
Heat up, heat, heat!
And what the weights! And what the oaks!
…. Wider is mouth.
Still the slavery! Still the oars!
Heat, heat – and toss!
Rudyanka, semolina with the pan
Will wipe off! Contact the beggar woman!
By the road with sharp iron
Groping alloy stands a man.
… that first grade
You call! Rise up,… the brew!
No, it is soft, and such is it…
Devil!
Heat up, heat, heat!
Still not such, still not such…
You do not have the hell’s pots,
The ones who melt, the ones who caste!
The pot of the bloody sweat –
Brain with a bone - dinner, fat.
From the alloy, the falcon, tell?
The Moscow’s bells!
How Moscow-mother will go far,
How they will start to melt -
Tushinsky did not reach that far –
Into the cannons the bells.
Simple people, sober up!
Stop, the bell, the machine gun!
Fell into Greek faith!
And we… ten!
How he in the buff will go
Into his sons’ dog moat
The room need: to fell!
And we from above: you will recall!
Will cost Moscow-mother,
And to take …… nowhere.
Of the flooded mastery –
And we – robins – suddenly!
“The Lord is great!”
“And Son, and Spirit.”
Stand oak trees,
Pow – suddenly!
Into the goo, into the thick –
Not the pebble, not punching bag?
Quiet is the gang,
Dried up the tongue.
And dream-on-hop?
Suddenly one: Oh,
Vlas-Mitrofan-with Savka! Brothers, listen!
The ringing is missing! Alloy is missing!
Oh, that-our-work!
Oh, ringing-our-alloy!
Pip-to you-fierce!
Right is your eye!
And aiming, and in all the time:
“Pip, fool, to you on the left eye!”
More often bullet
In his artel:
“Oh you, vessel-
Drop-they yell!”
Who thus… drops the tear!
Water dispenser or a samovar?
Oh… our-gild!
Our-product-defect!
With nut it’s good,
And still-with fist!
Oh you oak-beam!
And fool: “Moscow I pity!”
You lie, belfry:
To wet not dare!
Urine, tear –
Only bad weather.
I see, a she-wolf is your mother!
…. To urinate in a boiler!
Oh you damn cheek,
They shout with no merit.
Attacked the howler –
Who, and where –
Into the cream, into the foam!
Well stand there by the wall.
Where stands, there pours!
The man is cute!
A bull? A boar?
A cattle, that –
That he first saw his place –
To him them – with a tear’s trace!
Deep is the pot.
Of fathoms, hundred.
The donkey’s quiet.
And wolf – wolf what?
Wow the nose as black as soot.
Only fur of his stands on root.
And re-duce
On overcut!
“He, maybe-oak,
And you like stumps!
And – I’ll lie? – in such a tear
Honor the three poods of silver.
And to old one,
Look in the pot,
What is the tea?
What borsch may be?”
What with alloy? What, dear, is this?
And with alloy – so, with alloy – thus:
The clear silver scoop
He carries – shaking the scoop –
The clear silver pours.
He froze:
People - tetanus
Who – poppy, who – chalk,
And who – in sweat.
And the wolf, shaking the tail:
“The apprentice under all!”
And all damage flaw-of-yours,
That there will be ringing of silver,
One: honest mother! Another: clean sleep!
Under the icon,
You, bishop, go!
And the tear,
Fat, they roar!
And the wolf, advocate from hell:
“Come and look into our well!”
……………………
……………………
Suddenly someone: ……………….
Into the legs: pow!
Fall down, there’s enough for all, ones dear!
And once on time: Forgive, brother!
Like general on square
……. And round thumping there,
Broken bag to chest,
Stands Yegor, listens to bells.