So, This Is Christmas

About a Song

Хотят ли русские войны? Хотят ли русские войны? Спросите вы у тишины, Над ширью пашен и полей, И у берез, и тополей, Спросите вы у тех солдат, Что под березами лежат, И вам ответят их сыны Хотят ли русские, хотят ли русские, Хотят ли русские войны. Не только за свою страну Солдаты гибли в ту войну, А чтобы люди всей земли Спокойно ночью спать могли. Спросите тех, кто воевал, Кто вас на Эльбе обнимал, Мы этой памяти верны. Хотят ли русские, хотят ли русские Хотят ли русские войны? Да, мы умеем воевать, Но не хотим, чтобы опять Солдаты падали в бою На землю горькую свою. Спросите вы у матерей, Спросите у жены моей, И вы тогда понять должны Хотят ли русские, хотят ли русские Хотят ли русские войны. Поймет и докер, и рыбак, Поймет рабочий и батрак, Поймет народ любой страны Хотят ли русские, хотят ли русские, Хотят ли русские войны. Хотят ли русские, хотят ли русские, Хотят ли русские войны. Do Russian people stand for war? Do Russian people stand for war? Go, ask the calm on plain and shore, The wide expanse of field and lea, The birches and the poplar tree, The soldiers who once fought abreast, And near the birches lie at rest, Their sons will answer by the score, Ask them if Russians are,         Ask them if Russians are,                 Ask them if Russians are for war. Not only for their country’s life Did soldiers perish in the strife — But that all human creatures might Sleep always peacefully at night. Ask those that fearful battles knew, Who on the Elbe rejoiced with you, We keep these memories evermore — And ask if Russians are,         And ask if Russians are,                 And ask if Russians are for war. Yes, we indeed know how to fight, But do not want the same sad plight — That soldiers should be killed again And lie upon the blood-drenched plain. Ask mothers if we are for strife, Go ask this question of my wife, And you will need to ask no more If Russian people are,         If Russian people are,                 If Russian people are for war. The working people of each land Will come, for sure, to understand Throughout the world on sea and shore — If Russian people are,         If Russian people are,                 If Russian people are for war. Yevgeny Aleksándrovich Yevtushenko, 1961 English translation by Olga Moisseyenko

Käthe Kollwitz, Nie wieder Krieg (Never Again War), 1924. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Infinite loop

Ninna nanna della guerra Ninna nanna, nanna ninna, er pupetto vò la zinna: dormi, dormi, cocco bello, sennò chiamo Farfarello Farfarello e Gujermone che se mette a pecorone, Gujermone e Ceccopeppe che se regge co le zeppe, co le zeppe d’un impero mezzo giallo e mezzo nero. Ninna nanna, pija sonno ché se dormi nun vedrai tante infamie e tanti guai che succedeno ner monno fra le spade e li fucili de li popoli civili Ninna nanna, tu nun senti li sospiri e li lamenti de la gente che se scanna per un matto che commanna; che se scanna e che s’ammazza a vantaggio de la razza o a vantaggio d’una fede per un Dio che nun se vede, ma che serve da riparo ar Sovrano macellaro. Ché quer covo d’assassini che c’insanguina la terra sa benone che la guerra è un gran giro de quatrini che prepara le risorse pe li ladri de le Borse. Fa la ninna, cocco bello, finché dura sto macello: fa la ninna, ché domani rivedremo li sovrani che se scambieno la stima boni amichi come prima. So cuggini e fra parenti nun se fanno comprimenti: torneranno più cordiali li rapporti personali. E riuniti fra de loro senza l’ombra d’un rimorso, ce faranno un ber discorso su la Pace e sul Lavoro pe quer popolo cojone risparmiato dar cannone! Lullaby of War Lullaby, lullaby, the baby wants titty: just be quiet, get to sleep, otherwise I call Farfarello Farfarello and Gujermone who is only another sheep in the herd, Gujermone and Ceccopeppe who does hold on to the wedges, the wedges of an empire half yellow and half black. Lullaby, close your eyes because if you sleep you will not see all the disgraces and troubles which befall in the world amongst swords and rifles of civilised peoples Lullaby, do not listen to the sighs and moans of people who slaughter each other in the name of a madman commander; people who kill and die for the sake of race or for the sake of a faith for an invisible god that serves as a shelter for the butcher king. Because that den of killers which causes our land to bleed knows all too well that the war is a great deal of money that prepares the resources for the thieves of the Bourses. Just be quiet, get to sleep, as long as this slaughter lasts: get to sleep, ’cause tomorrow we will see them kings again exchanging esteem and deference just as good friends as before. They are cousins and amongst relatives there’s no need for compliments: their personal relationships will come back more cordial than ever. And when they all will gather back together without the shadow of remorse, they will give us a beautiful speech about Peace and Work for all dumb people spared by the cannon! Trilussa, 1914

The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed