a century at the end ... pull out - and again

I look at photos of friends ...

here is Tolik (smiles) ...

here is Vova ...

and here we are in Kabardinka, and Andrew

on the background of the sea - looking serene

(in Afghanistan, he will die in a year,

and it will be autumn, and Comrade Brezhnev

will look from the poster on the people

and I meet this poster

I will walk along the cobblestones,

and there will be tears from the chin drip

on a white scarf with a strip of blue) ...

here is Vasya (after the army in the country) ...

here is Yura (the cookie twisted into the lens

and something tells me ... not otherwise

I changed him with someone again ...) -

still so little behind the shoulders of life! ... -

Valerka's face (distant view ...

My friend is busy with masturbation,

and it seems: his face soars ...),

George

(at the entrance with a cigarette,

and next to him is a cute kid ...

transit boy -

we have him that summer

the two of us loved up and down

in the bushes behind the garages ... and in the apartment,

making little bedlam

at the same time the boy was loved

and front and back - it was us

that summer by sixteen ...),

here is Seryoga,

and on his shoulder is my hand, -

standing, embracing (Transbaikal District,

and Gray is still a virgin ... bye:

the thread is not knocked down by the soldier,

still winter and the snow did not melt ...

all ahead! ... on the back - date:

Seryoga wrote:

"TWENTIETH CENTURY", -

funny date ... a whole epoch!) -

I look at photos of friends ...

each of us has its own way:

direct and not very ...

only Andrei

standing by the sea (the clouds froze,

and a white sail behind him,

and the seagulls behind me like wings),

as the god Adonis - forever young ...

(1998)