Translated by Miriam Mcilfatrick-Ksenofontov

my writing to you is far from rash.

if you were younger, cut more of a dash,

there’s still a chance you’d get away

with that plan of yours. but what of it

– I’m little more than a village chit.

is that not so, my noble sir?

you never imagined, God forbid –

that I would ever cause a stir.

it’s just that an ape is always an ape –

whether king or count or some other shape

and no amount of any red tape

would make me don my gloves of kid

to deal with what is shit, believe me,

not even the likes of you, Onegin.

Eda Ahi is…