Sergey Esenin
Shoot, accordion! Boredom, O boredom...

Shoot, accordion! Boredom, O boredom...
Fingers ripple like waves of the sea.
Drink with me, lousy wench of a woman,
Come drink with me.

You’re worn out from their love and their slobbers;
No patience, not a trace.
Then why are your blue eyes winking at me?
You want a fist in the face?

You belong in a vegetable garden —
A good scarecrow.
You’ve tormented me clear to my liver
And won’t let go.

Shoot, accordion! Shoot, my live one!
And drink, fish, drink and sing!
I would like that one there, the bigtitties,
A stupid ding-a-ling.

You are not the first one — of my women.
O, there were many more.
But this is the first time, believe me,
I’ve been with such a whore.

Bravo! The more painful, the louder!
If here or there, so what?
I will not hang myself this evening.
Go to the devil, slut.

It is time to cold-shoulder
Your whole dog pack that’s here.
I am crying. Forgive me.
Forgive me, dear.

Translated by Merrill Sparks and Vladimir Markov