Дмитрий Быков — Made in USA: Стих

All my life I used to live
In a certain way:
I have nothing to forgive,
Nothing to obey.

Overbeaten like a beef
I am still okay
Having nothing to receive
From a chief (that means a thief),
Nothing to betray.

This is all I could achieve
For a nasty pay
Of a total unbelief
Which I never could relieve
Even for a day.

Now seeing the results
I am happy to
Recommend it to adults
And to children, too.

I was going step by step
From a pleasant lie.
Poor catcher’s lost his cap
Coming through the rye.

I was learning not to be.
Now I look at it
Just like one who’s got TB
Or another shit.

One who knows his rest is brief,
One who goes away,
Looking at his handkerchief
In a great dismay.