Mikhail Svetlov
The Song of the Flashlight

Over Moscow where the Moskva River flows,
When the hostile bombers came at night,
When for watches in the hush of dark we rose,
Then our flashlights we would always light.

A sentry round the year,
From sundown till the light,
My flashlight, my companion dear,
Burn bright, burn bright, burn bright!

I remember well that time of twilight mist,
Those were nights we’ll not forget about,
Then my flashlight, ever ready to assist,
Always beamed and never once went out.

A sentry round the year,
From sundown till the light,
My flashlight, my companion dear,
Bum bright, burn bright, burn bright!

I remember once as in the darkened street,
With my sweetheart we stood side by side,
Then my faithful flashlight, what a dear old cheat,
Suddenly went out to my delight.

A sentry round the year,
From sundown till the light,
My flashlight, my companion dear,
Burn bright, burn bright, burn bright.

O'er the darkened capital the flashlight's ray,
Every attic nook and cranny lit,
Let the flashlight brightly shine again today
In a girlish hand as it once did!

A sentry round the year.
From sundown till the light,
My flashlight, my companion dear.
Burn bright, burn bright, burn bright!

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The poem was set to music by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975).

Translated by Lidia Kmetyuk