We’re either sad or full of vim and vigor, But if there is a choice requiring prudence, We all select the simple suits of timber - Humans! Humans! They will suggest that we can lose, not win: "That’s foolish thinking, you’ve just started living! For you are almost ready to begin!" But then they’ll offer "either - or" for picking. It’s either beaches, races, expositions, The vessels filled with goods they must deliver, The social meetings, cabs and expeditions, Or sometimes just the simple suits of timber. They’re either sad or full of vim and vigor, Their roles of thoughtful judges or vile looneys, But they will offer us the suits of timber - Humans! Humans! They’ll offer us to smoke and to take five. "You did not smoke today," you will be hearing. "You hardly even started through your life!" But then they’ll offer "either - or" for picking. All thoughts escape, tobacco smoke is floating; The thoughts are lighter when this smoke still lingers. And I crave smoking! I would die for smoking! Yet, it’s high time for choosing suits of timber. A happy life is handed on a platter: It’s courteous of them as well as moving, But we’ll refuse and they will beat us later - Humans! Humans! Humans!
© Kirill Tolmachev. Translation, 2021