Innokenty Annensky
Balloons for the Kids

Balloons, come and buy my balloons!
Balloons from the kids!
Money from the dads!
Young gents, come and buy my balloons!
Foxy coat, let’s see your spare cash,
Don’t cling on to the trash:
I’ll let them fly up to the sky,
In two hours, look out, look up high!
It’s good to be free, so they say.
Tweet-tweet, your worship, let’s play.
Just buy, they’ll be on cloud nine.
No bargaining – three seventy-five!
        Could I take any less
        For emancipation – bliss?
        No, you won’t....
Hey Granny, what d’you want?
        Just a tot?
Sorry, but see what I’ve got....
        So it goes –
Another one grows,
But our Punch
with his head screwed on tight
doesn’t grow a fat paunch,
but looks high in the sky
with his lofty thoughts.
Which one will you have?
Don’t squeeze me until I am yours,
Mess it up and it’s flat...
        Balloons for the kids,
        Red ones, purple ones,
        Cheap as they come!
        Balloons for the kids!
Hey, fur collar, speak Fritz?
Take ten – they’re in couples
And the rest for free...
Shame your German’s so weak,
Talk’s better than roubles!
Let’s have you, old man!
It’s like you – spick and span –
This great big fatty,
        Yellow as putty,
With a heart saying Katy...
        Going for a song
Just five,
And another twenty-five,
And then ten more for the best.
Here’s one with the government crest!
        Balloons, buy my kiddies’ balloons!
        Good people, just buy my balloons,
        And then you watch out, you saloons!

Translated by Peter France