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Poetry

Texts Written without the Author’s Knowledge

By Pavel Gol’din
Translated from Russian by Nika Skandiaka
The screech of streetcars falls silent. Juice trickles from a windfall pomegranate

The screech of streetcars falls silent.
Juice trickles from a windfall pomegranate
branching—
as though a monster had grown through the rails
or lung tissue rotted
and the bronchi and vessels
of a woolly and leathery body were bared.

Vladimir goes to Crimea. He is seduced by Alimeh.
Alexey marries Venus. Saturn isn't eating.
Deported adolescents become integrated into society.
Pulpy prejudice follows, then yummy nebulae,
translucent excesses, affinities bitten off.

How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is a dog, the red thread a fox.
How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is a Catholic priest, the red thread an Orthodox.
How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is coke, the red thread coral.
How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is three, four, the red thread chestnut, fir.

Love is a source of biological information.
A police officer having had intimate relations
with the decapitated corpse of a suicide bomber
soon quit drinking and converted to Islam;
has stopped swearing; smells of iodine and myrtle.

Тексты, написанные без ведома автора © Pavel Gol'din. By arrangement with the author. Translation © 2014 by Nika Skandiaka. All rights reserved.

English Russian (Original)

The screech of streetcars falls silent.
Juice trickles from a windfall pomegranate
branching—
as though a monster had grown through the rails
or lung tissue rotted
and the bronchi and vessels
of a woolly and leathery body were bared.

Vladimir goes to Crimea. He is seduced by Alimeh.
Alexey marries Venus. Saturn isn't eating.
Deported adolescents become integrated into society.
Pulpy prejudice follows, then yummy nebulae,
translucent excesses, affinities bitten off.

How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is a dog, the red thread a fox.
How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is a Catholic priest, the red thread an Orthodox.
How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is coke, the red thread coral.
How is this shirt different from all other shirts?
The black thread is three, four, the red thread chestnut, fir.

Love is a source of biological information.
A police officer having had intimate relations
with the decapitated corpse of a suicide bomber
soon quit drinking and converted to Islam;
has stopped swearing; smells of iodine and myrtle.

Тексты, написанные без ведома автора © Pavel Gol'din. By arrangement with the author. Translation © 2014 by Nika Skandiaka. All rights reserved.

Тексты, написанные без ведома автора

Трамвайный клекот умолкает. 
Сок льется из упавшего граната 
ветвистой струйкой – 
как если б чудище сквозь рельсы проросло 
или ткань легкого истлела, 
и обнажились бронхи, сосуды 
шерстисто-кожистого тела. 

Владимир едет в Крым. Его соблазняет Алиме. 
Алексей женится на Венере. Сатурн ничего не ест. 
Депортированные подростки интегрируются в гражданское общество. 
За ними следуют разварившиеся предрассудки, аппетитные туманности, 
полупрозрачные излишества, откушенные привязанности. 

Чем эта сорочка отличается от всех других сорочек? 
Черная нитка – это пес, красная нитка – это лис. 
Чем эта сорочка отличается от всех других сорочек? 
Черная нитка – это ксендз, красная нитка – это поп. 
Чем эта сорочка отличается от всех других сорочек? 
Черная нитка – это кокс, красная нитка – это коралл. 
Чем эта сорочка отличается от всех других сорочек? 
Черная нитка – это три, четыре, красная нитка – это елка, каштан. 

Любовь – источник биологической информации. 
Офицер милиции, вступив в интимные отношения 
с обезглавленным телом террористки-смертницы, 
вскоре бросил пить и принял ислам; 
не ругается, пахнет йодом и миртом.