bzdmn [hmlss]

Boris Filanovsky

hmlss

original in Russian, English translation by Serge Polotovsky

I. sng wtht wrds

<…>

II. srmn 1

Homelessness is hopelessness.

You can be homeless in your own family.

Homelessness is earthliness,

When there is no temple in your soul.

Homelessness! How well I know it:

All my life I have always felt you.

Homelessness really puts you down,

There's no life for a homeless man.

The eyes of a homeless are an ocean of suffering,

Sadness stays forever in his eyes.

Without home means without happiness,

No faith, no joy and no love.

A homeless only sees his home in his dreams,

Or a night's lodging somewhere, or nowhere.

Homelessness is because churches were demolished

And barracks were built instead.

The whole country was a communal dormitory,

You didn't need a home.

Homelessness is our whole Russia.

Homelessness is our Russian people.

You have become an alien in your homeland.

When will you wake up, my dear?

You will raise high your head, you will pray to God,

You will start out your work and your hands will live up.

You will build a Home to yourself and a Temple to Russia.

Then homelessness will meet its end.

Rise my dear country, sober up,

Unite the best of your hearts.

Win over the darkness and hatred,

Russia's soul will never perish,

It will go to heaven as the Holy Russia,

And by Russian spirit the whole Earth will come alive.

(Valentina Vassilievna)

IIa. ps

<-less-…>

III. srmn 2

b l ssd r th pr n sprt

bl ss d r thy tht mr n

bls sd r th mk

th kn g dm f h vn

blssd r thy wh ch d h ng r nd th rs t ftr rg ht s ns s

th kn g dm f h vn

bls sd r th m rcf l

b l s sd r th p r n hr t

b l ss d r pc m k rs

th kn g dm f h vn

bls s E d r

g rt s yr r wr d n hv n

th kn g dm f h vn

bl ss d r th dd

IV. srmn 3

<…> At the request of workers, pensioners, criples, veterans, thieves, prostitutes, drug addicts, sexual minorities, sound and ill, big and small, Paradise itself shall move towards you. This pleasure shall be paid for by God. I will show him to you, for I see the Sacred Family every day. Albeit they are sinners like us, Father, Son, the Holy Ghost and the Unholy, Mother, daughter, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, the Satan himself shall walk with you the same road, and if he is not there, neither shall you be. The Paradise is empty, gentlemen! All saints are getting high in Hell. Judge and you shall be judged. Once you are born into this world you shall have to respond for everything. Once I led people blindly after me, for this I was crucified on the cross, even two crosses, a bit on both. And now no one shall die for, each shall die according to the laws of time. Time shall take away everything. Death shall come after you every God's day. <…>

(M.N.V.)

Original texts written by the homeless are taken from the book "Tell your story" ("Nochlezhka" foundation and the "Na dne" publishing house, St.Petersburg, 1999)