Poems and Songs of Vladimir Vysotsky. My Gypsy Song.

All Is Iced.Adapted from Alec Vagapov’s
translation by Akbar Muhammad.

Our Globe is all covered with ice —
All year long she is covered with ice —
As if there is no spring and no summer.
So slippery is the Globe’s garment,
People often fall and hit on the ice.

All is iced on the Globe, all is iced —
All year long all is covered with ice.
All is iced, all is iced, all is iced —
All year long all is covered with ice.

One may fly all around the Globe,
Even without contact with the ground —
Anyway he is sure to drop
On a slippery level or slope —
To be crushed underfoot he is bound.

All is iced on the Globe, all is iced —
All year long all is covered with ice.
All is iced, all is iced, all is iced —
All year long all is covered with ice.

There is nothing but ice like sheet glass,
But it’s not like a kids’ rink for skating.
Perhaps a beast will be able to pass...
All is iced! and a two-legged one must
Sink on all his four limbs — no escaping.

All is iced on the Globe, all is iced —
All year long all is covered with ice.
All is iced, all is iced, all is iced —
All year long all is covered with ice.

1966.

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