lay up treasure

The beautiful Russian poet, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, wrote the poem, "I Am a Purse," in 1955. I offer it here - on this day of great gladness.

"I am a purse. . ."

I am a purse
lying on the road,
alone here in broad daylight.
You don't even see me, people.

Your feet
walk over and around me.
And don't you
understand anything?

And don't you, really,
have eyes?

That dust,
that you raise yourselves,
conceals me;
so clever
of you.

Look more closely.

Only a glance is needed.

I'll give everything to you,
all that I treasured.

And don't look for my owner.
I laid myself on the ground.




Don't think
they'll suddenly pull a string,
and above the crooked fence not far away
you'll see some little Nina,
saying with a laugh:
"They fooled you!"

Don't let a humiliating laugh and some faces
in a window somewhere scare you.

I'm no fraud.

I'm the real thing.

Just look inside me!
I'm afraid of one thing,
to your disfavor:

that right now,
in broad daylight,
I won't see
the one I wait for,

that the one who should
won't pick me up.

:translated by albert c. todd; images d:m + n