{"id":24823,"date":"2026-09-26T00:30:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T04:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/?post_type=world&p=24823"},"modified":"2026-09-26T01:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T05:48:30","slug":"vladimir-efroimson-poems","status":"publish","type":"world","link":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/world\/vladimir-efroimson-poems\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440 \u042d\u0444\u0440\u043e\u0438\u043c\u0441\u043e\u043d. \u0421\u0442\u0438\u0445\u0438 \u0441 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430\u043c\u0438 \u043d\u0430 \u0430\u043d\u0433\u043b\u0438\u0439\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u041c. \u0424\u0440\u0438\u0434\u043c\u0430\u043d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u041f\u0440\u043e \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2026\u0410 \u043e\u043d \u0432\u0441\u044e \u043d\u043e\u0447\u044c \u0441\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043b \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u0443\u0445\u043d\u0435,<\/p>\n

\u0441\u043c\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043b \u0432 \u043e\u043a\u043d\u043e, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0432 \u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043f,<\/p>\n

\u0432 \u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0443\u044e \u0442\u044c\u043c\u0443, \u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0440\u0443\u0445\u043d\u0435\u0442:<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u044d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0440\u043e\u0442, \u0438 \u044d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u043b\u043e\u0431,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0442\u043e, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0430\u043c, \u0437\u0430 \u043b\u043e\u0431\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044e,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0442\u043e, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043f\u044f\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0432\u043e \u043c\u0440\u0430\u043a,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0442\u043e, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0436\u0435, \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435,<\/p>\n

\u0441\u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0437\u0438\u0442 \u043f\u044c\u044f\u043d\u0435\u043d\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0443\u0440\u0430\u043a\u2026
\n <\/p>\n

\u041c\u0438\u0440 \u0432 \u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043f\u0435 \u0431\u044b\u043b \u043e\u0433\u0440\u043e\u043c\u0435\u043d \u2013<\/p>\n

\u043c\u0435\u0436\u0433\u0430\u043b\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438 \u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0439 \u2013 <\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043b\u0438\u0448\u044c \u0444\u043e\u043d\u0430\u0440\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0435\u043c \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0435<\/p>\n

\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0441 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0439.<\/p>\n

\u0412\u0441\u044e \u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0442\u0443 \u0437\u0430\u043f\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0438\u043b \u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434,<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u0435\u0439, \u043e\u0442\u0441\u0443\u0442\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438\u0435 \u0442\u0435\u043f\u043b\u0430.<\/p>\n

\u0411\u044b\u043b \u043c\u0438\u0440 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430 \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442<\/p>\n

\u0437\u0430 \u043f\u043b\u0451\u043d\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0442\u043e\u043d\u043a\u043e\u044e \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043a\u043b\u0430.<\/p>\n

\u0411\u044b\u043b \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043a\u043e\u043d\u043d\u0438\u043a \u0441\u043b\u0438\u0448\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0443\u0437\u043a\u0438\u043c\u2026
\n <\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u043b\u0451\u0442 \u2013 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433 \u0438 \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0448\u043e\u043d.<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0441\u043a\u0432\u043e\u0437\u044c \u0443\u0434\u0430\u0440 \u0438 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u0440\u0443\u0437\u043a\u0438<\/p>\n

\u0432 \u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u044b\u0442\u044b\u0439 \u043a\u043e\u0441\u043c\u043e\u0441 \u0432\u044b\u0448\u0435\u043b \u043e\u043d.
\n <\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

\u0413\u0434\u0435-\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0430\u043c, \u0432 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435, \u0432 \u0433\u043b\u0443\u0431\u0438\u043d\u0435 \u0433\u0434\u0435-\u0442\u043e <\/p>\n

\u0441\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0443\u044e\u0442, \u0436\u0438\u0432\u0443\u0442 \u0432\u0441\u0435, \u0441 \u043a\u0435\u043c \u0431\u044b\u043b \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430-\u0442\u043e, <\/p>\n

\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044f\u0442 \u0432 \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0442\u0435 \u2013 \u0432\u0435\u0434\u044c \u0442\u0430\u043c \u043d\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430, <\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0437\u0432\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0442 \u043e\u0431\u0438\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e-\u0432\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u043e.
\n <\/p>\n

\u0412\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044b \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u2013 \u0438 \u043e\u043d\u0438, \u0438 \u044f, \u2013 \u043d\u043e<\/p>\n

\u0438\u0445 \u0443\u043f\u0440\u0451\u043a\u0438 \u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0443\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0432\u0435\u0441\u043e\u043c\u0435\u0439, <\/p>\n

\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043d\u044c\u044f \u0432\u0438\u043d\u044b \u0437\u0432\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0442 \u043d\u0435\u044f\u0432\u043d\u043e \u2013<\/p>\n

\u043e\u0442\u0434\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0448\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0445 \u0432 \u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043c \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0435.
\n <\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0447\u0438, \u043f\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u0443\u0439 \u043d\u0435 \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f, <\/p>\n

\u0432 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u044f\u043d\u043d\u043e-\u043e\u0431\u0438\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0442\u0438\u0445\u043e\u043c \u0445\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/p>\n

\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441\u0430 (\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u043d\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u043b\u0438\u0446\u0430), <\/p>\n

\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0442\u0434\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u043e\u043b\u043d\u044b \u043c\u043e\u0440\u0435.
\n <\/p>\n

\u042d\u0442\u0438 \u0448\u0451\u043f\u043e\u0442, \u0438 \u0440\u043e\u043f\u043e\u0442, \u0438 \u043a\u0440\u0438\u043a, \u0438 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043d\u044b<\/p>\n

\u0441 \u043e\u0441\u043b\u0430\u0431\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u043c \u0437\u0440\u0435\u043d\u044c\u044f \u0437\u0432\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0442 \u044f\u0441\u043d\u0435\u0435… <\/p>\n

\u0412\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u0432\u0441\u043f\u043b\u044b\u0432\u0451\u0442 \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0431\u044b\u043b\u043e \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f \u043e\u043d\u043e,<\/p>\n

\u0437\u0430\u0433\u043b\u0443\u0448\u0438\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0447\u043d\u0443\u044e \u0430\u0445\u0438\u043d\u0435\u044e.
\n <\/p>\n

\u0418 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0440\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u0430\u043c\u044f\u0442\u0438 \u0432\u0435\u0434\u044c \u043a\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0437\u044b \u2013<\/p>\n

\u044d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0448\u0443\u043c, \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0439\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0442\u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430, <\/p>\n

\u043f\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0437\u0430\u0436\u0438\u0432\u043e \u0441\u0442\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442 \u0441\u043d\u0438\u0437\u0443, <\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043a\u0440\u0438\u0447\u0438\u0442, \u0438 \u0448\u0435\u043f\u0447\u0435\u0442, \u0438 \u0432\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0442 \u0432 \u0447\u0443\u0434\u043e.
\n <\/p>\n

\u0422\u0438\u0445\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440 \u0432 \u041b\u043e\u043d\u0434\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/strong>
\n 
\n\u0412\u043e\u0442 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0435\u0446 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0448\u0451\u043b,<\/p>\n

\u0441\u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u0430 \u0448\u0443\u0440\u0448\u0430 \u2013<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e \u043b\u0438 \u0448\u0451\u043b\u043a \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0432\u0430,<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e \u043b\u044c \u0441\u0443\u043a\u043d\u043e \u043f\u0438\u0434\u0436\u0430\u043a\u0430 \u2013 <\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0434\u043a\u0430 \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/p>\n

\u0442\u0430\u043a \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u0430 \u2013<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e \u043b\u044c \u043a\u0443\u0440\u043d\u0443\u043b \u0447\u0435\u0433\u043e,<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e \u043b\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0434\u0430\u043b \u0441\u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u0430.
\n <\/p>\n

\u041b\u043e\u043d\u0434\u043e\u043d. \u0421\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0438\u043a \u043d\u0430 \u0443\u043b\u0438\u0446\u0435.<\/p>\n

\u041f\u044c\u044e \u043f\u0438\u0432\u043a\u043e \u2013<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e \u043b\u0438 \u0432 \u0421\u043e\u0445\u043e \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440,<\/p>\n

\u0442\u043e \u043b\u044c \u0447\u0451\u0440\u0442-\u0442\u0435 \u0433\u0434\u0435,<\/p>\n

\u0434\u0436\u0430\u0437 \u0432 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0435\u0434\u043d\u0435\u043c \u0431\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/p>\n

\u0437\u0432\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442 \u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u043e,<\/p>\n

\u0442\u0430\u043a \u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u043e, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f:<\/p>\n

\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u0431\u0435\u0434\u0435.
\n <\/p>\n

\u0422\u0430\u043a \u0432 \u043a\u0438\u043d\u043e \u0431\u0435\u0437\u0437\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/p>\n

\u0437\u0430 \u043a\u0430\u0434\u0440\u043e\u043c \u0437\u0432\u0443\u043a<\/p>\n

\u0432\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u043d\u0430\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0445<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0431\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u0432 \u043f\u043e\u0442,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0442\u044b \u0436\u0434\u0451\u0448\u044c \u2013<\/p>\n

\u044d\u0442\u043e \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e \u00ab\u0432\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u00bb<\/p>\n

\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0437 \u043a\u0430\u0434\u0440, \u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0437 \u0434\u0432\u0430<\/p>\n

\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u044c\u043c\u0451\u0442.
\n <\/p>\n

\u0418 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0435\u0446 \u0445\u043c\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0439,<\/p>\n

\u043d\u0435\u0433\u0440\u043e\u043c\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0436\u0430\u0437,<\/p>\n

\u043f\u0438\u0432\u0430 \u0442\u0435\u0440\u043f\u043a\u0430\u044f \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0447\u044c,<\/p>\n

\u043a\u0430\u043a \u0441\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044f \u0432\u043a\u0443\u0441\u2026<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0442 \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c, \u043e\u0431\u043e\u0439\u0434\u0451\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/p>\n

\u043d\u0430 \u044d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0440\u0430\u0437 \u2013<\/p>\n

\u044f \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u043c\u043e\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0432<\/p>\n

\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u044e\u0441\u044c.
\n <\/p>\n

\u041d\u0443 \u043e\u0442\u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430 \u0431\u044b \u0436\u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/p>\n

\u0441\u0435\u0439\u0447\u0430\u0441 \u0431\u0435\u0434\u0443?<\/p>\n

\u0422\u0438\u0445\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440, \u041b\u043e\u043d\u0434\u043e\u043d,<\/p>\n

\u0448\u0443\u0440\u0448\u0430\u0449\u0438\u0439 \u0448\u0451\u043b\u043a\u2026<\/p>\n

\u042f \u0441\u0435\u0439\u0447\u0430\u0441 \u0434\u043e \u043e\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044f<\/p>\n

\u043f\u0435\u0448\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0434\u043e\u0439\u0434\u0443.<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0443\u0441\u043d\u0443. \u0418 \u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0431\u0443\u0434\u0435\u0442<\/p>\n

\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043e.
\n <\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0434\u0438\u043d \u0443\u0434\u0430\u0440…<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u043d\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u0441\u043e\u043c\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439,<\/p>\n

\u043d\u0438 \u0441\u043e\u0436\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043d\u0430\u043c \u043d\u0435 \u0438\u0441\u043f\u044b\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u2013<\/p>\n

\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0439\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0434\u044c, <\/p>\n

\u0435\u0434\u0432\u0430 \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0443\u043b\u043e \u043d\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u043c\u0433\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439, <\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043a\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044c \u043e\u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0432 \u0433\u043b\u0443\u0431\u0438\u043d\u0443: <\/p>\n

\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0439\u043d\u0430 — \u043e\u043d \u0438\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u043a\u043e \u0434\u043d\u0443.<\/p>\n

\u042f\u043d\u0432\u0430\u0440\u044c 1996
\n <\/p>\n

* * * <\/p>\n

\u041f\u043b\u0430\u043a\u0430\u043b, \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043b \u043e\u0442\u0446\u0430,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0443\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043b \u043e\u0431 \u0438\u0437\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0445 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0432\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u044f\u043b \u2013 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f \u0443\u0448\u043b\u0438,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u043e\u0441\u043e\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043b, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0445\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0436\u0438\u0442\u044c\u2026<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0441\u043b\u0451\u0437\u044b \u043d\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044b\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c \u043e\u0442\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e,<\/p>\n

\u0447\u0442\u043e \u0441\u043b\u044b\u0448\u0430\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441: \u00ab\u0422\u044b \u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d<\/p>\n

\u0434\u043e \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0446\u0430 \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0438\u0445 \u0434\u043d\u0435\u0439, \u043d\u043e \u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/p>\n

\u043d\u0435 \u0443\u0434\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443!\u00bb<\/p>\n

\u0421\u043c\u0435\u044f\u043b\u0441\u044f, \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043b \u0434\u043e\u043c\u043e\u0439,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0443\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043b \u043e\u0431 \u0438\u0437\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0445 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0441 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u0443\u0448\u0435\u0434\u0448\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u0432\u043e\u0434\u043a\u0443 \u043f\u0438\u043b,<\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0437\u0430\u0431\u044b\u0432\u0430\u043b, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0445\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0436\u0438\u0442\u044c.<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0445 \u0434\u0443\u0448\u0438\u043b \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u043e\u0442\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e,<\/p>\n

\u0447\u0442\u043e \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441, \u0442\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0434\u0438\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0439: \u00ab\u0422\u044b \u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d!\u00bb,<\/p>\n

\u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0431\u0443\u0431\u043d\u0438\u043b \u044d\u0442\u0443 \u0444\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0443 \u043e\u043f\u044f\u0442\u044c \u0438 \u043e\u043f\u044f\u0442\u044c,<\/p>\n

\u043d\u0435 \u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430\u044f \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443.<\/p>\n

\u0410\u043f\u0440\u0435\u043b\u044c 1993
\n <\/p>\n

About Him<\/strong><\/p>\n

…And he sat in the kitchen all night,<\/p>\n

staring out the window as if through a telescope,<\/p>\n

into the empty dark, where everything will collapse:<\/p>\n

this mouth, and this forehead,<\/p>\n

and what lies there, behind the frontal bone,<\/p>\n

and what stares into the blackness,<\/p>\n

and what later, at the cemetery,<\/p>\n

some drunken fool will mumble…
\n <\/p>\n

The world in the telescope was vast\u2014<\/p>\n

intergalactically empty\u2014<\/p>\n

and only a streetlamp on a distant building<\/p>\n

fought against the eternal darkness.<\/p>\n

The emptiness was filled with cold,<\/p>\n

or rather, the absence of warmth.<\/p>\n

The world was not yet shattered<\/p>\n

behind the thin film of glass.<\/p>\n

The windowsill was too narrow…
\n <\/p>\n

The flight\u2014brief and absurd.<\/p>\n

And through the impact and the G-forces,<\/p>\n

he stepped out into open space.<\/p>\n

 
\nSomewhere There<\/strong><\/p>\n

Somewhere there, in the head, in the deep somewhere,<\/p>\n

all those I was once with exist, they live,<\/p>\n

they speak in the dark\u2014for there is no light there\u2014<\/p>\n

and their voices sound offended and guilty.
\n <\/p>\n

Everyone is guilty\u2014they are, and I am\u2014but<\/p>\n

their reproaches toward me seem weightier,<\/p>\n

while my confessions of guilt come through faintly,<\/p>\n

a distant rustle in an empty house.
\n <\/p>\n

Be quiet, try not to curse,<\/p>\n

in that repentant-offended quiet choir<\/p>\n

to distinguish voices (and behind them, faces),<\/p>\n

to break the sea into separate waves.
\n <\/p>\n

These whispers, and murmurs, and cries, and groans<\/p>\n

grow clearer as eyesight fades…<\/p>\n

Suddenly what once was will resurface,<\/p>\n

drowning out the usual nonsense.
\n <\/p>\n

And it’s not just the whims of an old man\u2019s memory\u2014<\/p>\n

this noise, breaking through from over there,<\/p>\n

buried alive, knocks from below,<\/p>\n

cries, whispers, and believes in a miracle.
\n <\/p>\n

A Quiet Evening in London<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Chinese man passes,<\/p>\n

with a soft, rustling sound\u2014<\/p>\n

might be silk of his sleeve,<\/p>\n

or the wool of his coat\u2014<\/p>\n

and his gait has a grace<\/p>\n

that could only astound\u2014<\/p>\n

did he smoke something strange,<\/p>\n

or is he half-drowned?
\n 
\nLondon. A table outside.<\/p>\n

I drink my beer\u2014<\/p>\n

is it Soho at dusk,<\/p>\n

or God knows where,<\/p>\n

jazz from the bar next door<\/p>\n

floats light and clear,<\/p>\n

so light, it seems<\/p>\n

that danger is near.
\n <\/p>\n

Like in films, that carefree<\/p>\n

sound off-screen<\/p>\n

suddenly chills the blood,<\/p>\n

makes you sweat with dread,<\/p>\n

and you wait\u2014that word<\/p>\n

\u201csudden\u201d is keen<\/p>\n

to strike through the frame,<\/p>\n

or two, ahead.
\n <\/p>\n

And the drunken Chinese man,<\/p>\n

the quiet jazz,<\/p>\n

the bitter tang of ale<\/p>\n

like a taste of bliss\u2026<\/p>\n

Perhaps this time<\/p>\n

it won\u2019t come to pass\u2014<\/p>\n

I\u2019m always afraid<\/p>\n

of moments like this.<\/p>\n

But why would trouble<\/p>\n

come here now?<\/p>\n

Quiet evening, London,<\/p>\n

rustling silk\u2026<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll walk to my hotel,<\/p>\n

and somehow<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll fall asleep.<\/p>\n

And all will be well.
\n 
\n* * *<\/p>\n

One stroke\u2014<\/p>\n

and no room for doubt,<\/p>\n

no regrets for us to feel at all\u2014<\/p>\n

the troubled surface settles into calm,<\/p>\n

barely a few moments have passed,<\/p>\n

and the stone has sunk into the deep:<\/p>\n

the water is still\u2014it goes to the bottom.
\n 
\nJanuary 1996
\n <\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

I wept when I buried my father,<\/p>\n

and when I learned of my wife’s betrayals,<\/p>\n

and when I suddenly knew\u2014my friends were gone,<\/p>\n

and when I realized I wanted to live\u2026<\/p>\n

And the tears would well up because<\/p>\n

I heard a voice: \u201cYou are alone<\/p>\n

until the end of your days, but never<\/p>\n

will you manage to stay alone!\u201d<\/p>\n

I laughed when I came through the door,<\/p>\n

and when I learned of my wife’s betrayals,<\/p>\n

and drank vodka with departed friends,<\/p>\n

forgetting that I wanted to live.<\/p>\n

And laughter choked me only because<\/p>\n

a voice that kept murmuring: «You are alone!»<\/p>\n

kept droning that phrase over and over,<\/p>\n

never letting me be on my own.
\n 
\nApril 1993
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":24824,"parent":0,"template":"","world-type":[],"class_list":["post-24823","world","type-world","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/world\/24823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/world"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/world"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/world\/24823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25009,"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/world\/24823\/revisions\/25009"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"world-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eastwestliteraryforum.com\/rus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/world-type?post=24823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}