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Poems from a Stool · 2026 · Cockroaches

Gennady the Cockroach

Always somehow behind… Gennady the cockroach crawls. Along the back of a chair, a balcony. Trudging, hunched. Besides being behind, Gennady the cockroach is sad, Nobody wants to be friends. No one to share his needs with. But even when not behind Gennady the cockroach wanders, And quickly moves his little legs, Afraid that soles and slippers By accident or not quite Will finish off his days and nights. It hurts, but it's better behind To go through these five stages. Maybe one day, by the way, Gennady the cockroach will decide It's better not to be a cockroach. At least for his own sake…
Draft translation, the author is still revising it · written in Russian