bulat okudgava

song from kinofilm "belorusski railway station"

here birds do not song

trees do not grow,
and only we, face to face,
grow inwards here.

planet burns and whirls (goes around),

smoke above out motherland,
and, so, we need only the victory,
one for all, at any price (?).

death fire waits us,

but it's weak.
doubts away, our separate tenth last battalion
goes to night,
our tenth last battalion.

when battle is over

right away another order sounds,
ant postman will be crazy
while searching us.

red rocket flies up,

machine-gun fires indefatigable.
and, so, we need only the victory,
one for all, at any price (?).

death fire waits us,

but it's weak.
doubts away, our separate tenth last battalion
goes to night,
our tenth last battalion.

1969
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draft translation from russian to english - "word-by-word rough text"

29th of june, 2006