- translation from Russian by Yana Kane, edited by Bruce Esrig
- russian text: https://kopilkapoetry.org/?p=776
“Due to the current international circumstances,
And taking into consideration certain aspects of the situation,
We inform you of a difficult decision:
The Lord God is leaving this country.”
It seems as if nothing has changed.
No one is packing their favorite coffee maker and mug,
None of the angels are getting into their Lexus sedans,
No private jets have been seen taking off the back runway.
“There is no reason to panic,” intones the TV.
“We have domestically-produced replacements.
This is a part of the conspiracy against us.
All property left behind will be nationalized.”
“Should’ve done this ages ago!”—
a dress-up veteran of who-knows-what sprays spittle—
“If we had not done this,
It would have been done by NATO soldiers!”
“What do you need God for?”— a government bureaucrat
with the face of a cranky baby—is sincerely puzzled.
“See, I get up in the morning, have a hearty meal, and all is fine.
There is no God, but you hang tight.”
It seems as if nothing is changing—
The buildings with the crosses on top stay in place,
People enter their doors on the same schedule.
The woman next door sighs gloomily for a long while, then states:
“It wasn’t this hard before.
You go, say a prayer, and it eases up some.”
“And what about now?” I ask.
“Dunno. I feel like strangling somebody.”
And everywhere things are off kilter just a bit:
Hideous houses and trees.
People try not to look at each other.
Poems are written with no rhyme, no rhythm.
An acquaintance sent me a link to a petition—
Said we need signatures, to demand that He be brought back.
But we have lost count of the days of war.
I figure, given everything, He held off for quite a while.
It seems as if nothing will change—
All that was possible has already happened.
There is the need to run somewhere, scream, seek,
But without stirring, without making a sound,
To find someone
Inside yourself.
“Due to the current international circumstances,
And taking into consideration certain aspects of the situation,
We inform you of a difficult decision:
The Lord God is leaving this country.“
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