Посошок [Pososhok] [English translation]

Oh, pour a glass for the road and saw up my sack:

A stich on each line1 and two seams on each word.

And let the wet blizzard wind the thin thread

And knit the hemp yarn making lace.

Read the last rites for the mute, and I'll read them for myself.

Don't have mercy on me, take me down with a blow of a spear.

But look, an ice-hole has broken up2 on my chest,

A boat has scratched the edges and struggles in the wound.

And the scarlet spring started singing, seething, simmering,

The boat whirled in the cheerful stream.

And I rubbed more salt in, topped it off with a glass of vodka,

Stirred it all and swam in infernal3 underwear.

So pour a glass for the road and fasten my belt,

[Put] an oar in the wheel to God, the Son and the Spirit.

And let the wet blizzard make a soft bed

And the earth stick my face all over with dirty down.

The coppice along the river is tied up into garlands.

Try wagging your tongue, they'll tear it off together with your head.

The lights will glisten at the last outpost

And the watchman will bar the way with a bayonet.

Give me absolution! I don't remember the prayers,

But if you want, I'll pray with poems.

But explain me, do I love because it hurts

Or does it hurt because I love?

No rein, no saddle, everyone's finished off, everything's burnt to ashes.

But she4 somehow got the horse ready, and here - it went at a trot.

It doesn't matter that she hasn't found the right man yet,

A lonely woman is always pregnant.

And our truth is simple, but the cross

Made of stray faith in "save and protect" won't suffice for it,

For the icons in Rus are only good for carrying out5.

That's the last sanction. Mow down and bury.

So come on, man, let me in, don't be stupid -

But wait, I think I know you!

The watchman of all times will smile: "Look!" -

And raise my eyelids with a hot bayonet.

So saw up my sack and pour a glass for the road:

A swallow for each line and two for each word.

And let the wet blizzard shape the white silk,

Wind the thin thread and knit lace.

1. The word стежку (stich (dative)) is homophonous to стишку which is symonimous to строка (a line in a poem). I'm not sure if it was intentional, but it very well might be.2. The word повело is a little bit unclear in this context, but I interpret it as "to break up (about ice)".3. A wordplay: исподнее - underwear, преисподняя - hell4. It's not explained here who "she" is, but in Bashlachev's songs, "she" is usually either Russia or love. The latter, I think, is more likely in this case.5. A reference to the phrase хоть святых выноси "time to carry out the icons" (when the house is on fire), meaning a desperate situation.

• Artist:Alexander Bashlachev