Today I stayed home,
Fearing a pogrom against the Jews,
In the name of Russian Christianity.
The dog pointed its muzzle at the door.
“Don’t ask,” I snapped.
Since morning I’d felt depressed,
The way you feel on a narrow little island,
At the hopeless hour of the flood tide.
An anti-Semitic pamphlet
Brandished
Its fist.
I’d long been weakened
In the bitter struggle with dust, moths,
With spiritual and bodily sickness.
Now Pamiat* is affecting my nerves,
With the connivance of Minerva,
Who evidently doesn’t give a damn.
Maybe we’re getting too cocky?
After all, look at the blessings bestowed on us Jews,
As for me, iambic and trochaic verse do my bidding.
Jews are everywhere—in every argument,
And a Jewish acquaintance of mine
Even sings in the church choir.
But, after all, I didn’t crucify Christ!
I never ever approved
Of such a finale.
I took a lot on my shoulders,
And, when I die, I won’t quit the Russian language
Without leaving my mark.
Today I stayed home,
Fearing a pogrom against the Jews.
It was hot outside.
I went nowhere,
But stayed very snugly just where I was,
And I even wrote something—
Every cloud has its silver lining.
Translated by Daniel Weissbort
* Pamiat is an anti-Semitic organization (translator’s note).