Feldwebel's Romance

Speaking In Tongues
Scribbling In Voices

LABBOUR HO

DEPRESSIVE OPTIMISM ENSEMBLE

(Sergey Popovich, Igor Granovsky, Konstantin Dovzhenko)

FELDWEBEL'S ROMANCE

Translated by Max Nemtsov

© 1988

FELDWEBEL'S ROMANCE

SONG OF CHANGES

MIGRATION

i don't believe myself when i

stream my dreams into your mind

my world is pocketlike and free

give me the wings

FELDWEBEL'S ROMANCE

i wear my nose like medal

my face is like my dress coat

my eyes are like my polished badges

ears are aiguillettes

FOREST

there are blue rats on a rooftop

dances with tails far ahead

my trunks reach higher and higher

roof soaring over the head

SOLID OIL

solid oil solid oil solid oil solid oil

solid oil solid oil solid oil solid oil

hands are covered with it

legs are covered with it

mouth is covered with it

rouble is squeezed in the fist

solid oil solid oil solid oil solid oil

solid oil solid oil solid oil solid oil

hands are covered with it

and legs are covered with it as well

and mouth is covered with it

and rouble is covered with it

ANTS

sky is hanging down from the wires

spring in the beak of a hungry crow

pronouncing croak

trouser pockets are full of meaning

there are three ants gnawing the glass

producing ho

lunatic eyes rolled under the table

dry-cleaning code squeezing my hand

just you touch

kitty is thoughtfully touching syringe

radio mushroom in frame of tiles

informing chirp

SONG OF CHANGES

your books

these are records

my records

these are books

your tokens

this is money

my money

these are tokens

your trousers

these are pockets

my tunnels

pockets of trousers

your conviction

this is the doubt

my inducement

all is well

my books

these are records

your records

these are books

my tokens

this is money

your money

these are tokens

my trousers

these are pockets

your tunnels

pockets of trousers

my conviction

this is the doubt

your inducement

all is well

HUNTER

to knead the rows on the starchy jelly

of the marasmic buildings and constructions

and blow the harmonies of tonal levels

from two square meters that surround me

and bang the head against the walls

extending skies that cut so very low

and open heavy kingston valves

saluting at your turnpike at the same time

fields of droppings all across the country

ornaments of doomed erected buildings

i spill over just like heavy air

of front doors that squint into the night

i leave the same inscription on the walls

reception time is over come tomorrow

wild laughter in the night broadcasting prophesies

it means i was not dead the day before

BIRTHDAY

toilet pans start gurgling after dark

quiet evening melting into teapot

night intruding home like double bed

i'm not cold not hot not sad i'm not

i'm sensation-hungry and my head

is so thirsty glazed with stewed fruit

and my hand is clawing the wall paper

'cause today's the day i've got my birthday

just peer closer into my tattoo

saturday and monday like blue scrawlings

summer slowly dripping from my ears

i'm alone i'm looking for a job

IDIOT

teeth are moaning as they puncture that dark purple tongue

head is like a kite-balloon

and the rest downward

whatcha doin in the toilet

cause you have got me

idiot

schizophrenic

bank of sperm of this adventurer

ballistic forecast

draw my thin extended nose

on the sick-leave card

whatcha doin in the drugstore

cause you have got me

idiot

schizophrenic

despite universal toad

i shall live my forty years

eye-balls liquid spread about

hit by ceiling far above

what have you done on the balcony

you had got me

idiot

schizophrenic

MOSCOW

early mornings on white stones

of it

i come there rumbling with my

facets

stumbling over that one red

stone

can't find other place and lie

down under tram

UNIVERSAL TOAD

the holy ones on the holidays

lead the old hags across the

avenues

intravenous telepathy

removes intra-eyes apathy

UNIVERSAL TOAD

DOORS

to knead the rows on the starchy jelly

of the marasmic buildings and constructions

and blow the harmonies of tonal levels

from two square meters that surround me

and bang the head against the walls

extending skies that cut so very low

and open heavy kingston valves

saluting at your turnpike at the same time

fields of droppings all across the country

ornaments of doomed erected buildings

i spill over just like heavy air

of front doors that squint into the night

all along the kitchen sounds and buckets

like quicksilver mass excluding cravings

varnish definition concentrating

it means i haven't kicked that bucket yet

wet expiration by belligerent libido

my smile has raised aggressively its crutch

but it falls down stumbling by the entrance

to the museum of real-life figurines

look -- he took up the air-field once again and

lets down the penis from under the wings

i'm camouflaging fields of strawberries

to look like specially grasped reflex