I neither drank nor sang that night, I gazed at her with all my might, As kids would stare, As kids would stare. But he, who was with her before, He said to me: ”You’d better go.” He said to me: ”You’d better go, Your prospect’s bare.” And he, who was with her before Was rude and crude to me and more... I can recall it - I wasn’t boozy! When I made up my mind to quit She said to me: ”Please, wait a bit.” She said to me: ”Please, wait a bit, I ain’t too busy!” But he, who was with her before, He met me later on that fall - The lane was narrow, Eight men would block it. My friend and I were only two When they emerged out of the blue, When they emerged out of the blue - Hands in the pockets! Upon my life! I got a knife, It’s gonna be a deadly strife! Hold on, you bastards, Hold on, you bastards! Why should I perish all in vain? I pounced first and then again, I pounced first and then again - Had to be faster! But he, who was with her before, Resented ending in a draw, He really meant it, He really meant it! Somebody clubbed me. Shrieked my mate: “Look out!” But it was too late, “Look out!” But it was too late, In blood I weltered. Stay on your trail and never wail - There is a hospital in jail, There I was dying, There I was dying... They cut me up from heel to eye, The surgeon said: ”Try not to die!” The surgeon said: ”Try not to die!” And I was trying. Our parting passed in seconds flat, She failed to wait till I came back, But I forgive her, exonerate her... By her betrayal I set no store, But he, who was with her before, But he, who was with her before - I’ll see him later!        
© George Tokarev. Translation, 2001
Edited by Robert Titterton
© Viktor ?. Performance, 2010