Cuckoo (org. Kukushka)

“She loves me-loves me not.
My hands I pick
and having broken my fingers
fling away.
So the first daisy-heads
one happens to flick
are plucked,
and guessing,
scattered into May.
Let a cut and shave
reveal my grey hairs.
Let the silver of the years
ring out endlessly !
Shameful common sense –
I hope, I swear –
Will never come
to me.”…

Vladimir Mayakovski – Past One O’clock
Source and translation – https://allpoetry.com/Vladimir-Mayakovsky

Below – my poetic and singable translation of a well-known Russian song. YouTube links provide the most famous version of Pollina Gagarina, a great singer. Just a small note. To my Ukrainian friends – I am aware that this song has been used by Putin’s propaganda to justify the senseless war that is happening in your country. I am not in support of that, in any way. This song simply speaks to me personally like much of Eastern Slavic culture, which is a part of my heritage as a Pole.

Songs yet unsung, lyrics undone
How many?
Cuckoo profess
Profess

Where about to live? Keep it all or give?
Like a cold stone or burning sun
Let’s guess
Let's guess

My morning star
Please give me one gaze
My fists like stones are clenched hard
These days
The charge in my brain
Wants one spark to blow
Let it explode

Who’s about to win and who’s there to die
Real men can sacrifice themselves
In battles
In fight
We can go to hell without you even learn
When all hope is lost and mind
We’ll keep our stand
Our stand

My morning star
Please give me one gaze
My fists like stones are clenched hard
These days
The charge in my brain
Wants one spark to blow
Explode

Where is our free will
Is it here for us
Any bit of it for some lucky ones
Not us
Not us

Be it as it may
Cause we’re here to give
Our head and body
Ready to be tried by flogging
Flogging

My morning star
Please give me one gaze
My fists like stones are clenched hard
These days
The charge in my brain
Wants one spark to blow
Make it explode
X2
For brave ones to sing yourselves.

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