Бумажный солдат [Bumazhniy soldat] [English translation]

A Paper Soldier

Once there lived a soldier,

Handsome and brave,

But he was just a child’s toy.

After all, he was just a paper soldier.

He wanted to remake the world,

To make everyone happy,

Yet, he himself hanged by a thread,

After all, he was just a paper soldier,

He would gladly brave fire and smoke,

To die for you twice over,

But you amused yourselves with him,

After all, he was just a paper soldier.

You would never entrust him

With your important secrets

And why?

Well, because

He was just a paper soldier

He didn’t yearn for a quiet life

But rather, cursing his fate,

Forgetting his paperness,

He asked for flame and fire.

Into the firing line?

Well, what the hell, Go! Are you going?

And one day, off he marched,

And there he burned up,

For nothing.

After all, he was just a paper soldier.

• Artist:Bulat Okudzhava