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Open Poetry #6
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Master
Senior Member
since 1999-08-18
Posts 1867
Boston, MA

0 posted 2000-02-18 09:56 PM


*this is a song by V. Vysotsky translated into English by me.

Animal herds are swarming through copses
Not looking for water nor for a snack
They are fiercely pursuing hunters and horses
In their happy and cheerful flock

Beasts have forgotten the elderly curse
And decided to face whatever still haunts them
Like uncomfortable shirts, they rip open their furs
They fall to the ground -- but nobody wants them

There are many in thickets, lurking and crawling
Annoying like crickets, weeping and bawling
Yowling and raving, hissing and flirting
Attention craving and self-supporting

The fish is swimming against powerful waves
You can virtually walk on it towards the ford
Wanting for once to be caught, each fish raves
To fall on the plate... and down the throat

The fish is cold-blooded, unlike the meat
It longs to get trapped in the fishermen’s net
It dreams of a spot on the stove, near the heat
With the broth by its gills, there’s nothing to dread

Swarming in swamps, slavishly swimming
Covered with lumps, beamingly gleaming
Sluggishly sleeping and hibernating
Dinner retrieving and dinner awaiting

Even the birds crave for shrapnel in flight
Slowly becoming more agile and neat
Just so the apples could fit loosely inside—
The thoughtful geese had nothing to eat

Courageous bird shows its power in hunting
It screams to the weak, “Allow me to pass!”
Then takes its own life with a wailing grunting,
Without shots being fired, it aims for the grass

There are many on branches, quietly squealing
Sitting in bunches, strange and appealing
Bawling and raving, signing and flirting
Attention craving and self-supporting

Fur-bearing beasts are tired of sweating
They desperately try to get shot and get caught
Not sharing their warmth is really degrading
And they often dream of shedding their coat
Just think for a minute, it’s kind of funny--
Walking into our banks by themselves
Thousands of dollars in effortless money
As fabulous fur stocks itself on the shelves

There are many in thickets, many in bushes
Annoying like crickets, voluptuously luscious
Engagingly raving, ferociously flirting
Attention craving and self-supporting
Cold-blooded, caring or simply barbarian
Pasture expending and vegetarian
Slowly decaying and microbe consuming
And self-displaying, glowing and blooming
Gloomily gleaming, harking and talking
Stirringly swimming, running and walking
Small and gigantic, strange and appealing
Raging and frantic, extensively squealing
Corrupted and evil, wickedly wild
Seemingly civil, harmless and mild
Beautiful, ravishing, radiance casting
Gradually vanishing, and century lasting
Sluggishly sleeping and hibernating
Dinner retrieving and dinner awaiting

Fur is undamaged, fish -- fresher than ever
Meat with no bullets -- easy chewable food
Beautifully done, outstandingly clever
Peacefully, quietly – and no need to shoot!

Wearing white aprons, commanded to serve,
With posters “Don’t harm!” and lit up with zeal
The huntsmen protected the nature reserve
With one commandment “Thou shall not kill!”

There are many in thickets, quietly creeping
Annoying like crickets, singing and weeping
With passion ignited, intensively burning
Thrilled and excited, adventure yearning
Crawling and lurking, and face concealing
Cheerless and murky, and space depleting
Loudly grunting, running and standing
With pleasure hunting, with nature blending
Roaring and yelling and peace disturbing
Harshly compelling, clustering, swarming
In bushes hiding and heavily breathing
Mosquito fighting, jumping and heaving
Awaking the sleeping, marching, parading
Dinner retrieving and dinner awaiting


[This message has been edited by Master (edited 02-18-2000).]

© Copyright 2000 Andrey Kneller - All Rights Reserved
Cerenity
Member Elite
since 2000-02-16
Posts 2637
Escondido-California
1 posted 2000-02-20 03:45 PM


Hi Master,

I never quiet looked at dinner like this before and will definently think from now on.
Cerenity-1

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