Thanksgiving

Dear colleagues, thank the stars above for the luck we've had today!
The missionaries are our friends; now aren't we glad today!
By every means we tried to close all schools until this day,
But lacked the power to gain our goal, poor fools, until this day.
Though we ordained that schools be closed, they scorned us till this day.
We lost authority and weight, my friends, day after day,
But now our lucky star again ascends day after day.
Things have improved and our position's not so bad today.
For the missionaries are our friends, so aren't we glad today!
The missionaries have ideas—they're intellectual giants.
In Petersburg they've signed with us a business-like alliance.
Why have, they say, so many schools to serve our Moslem clients?
Can't they get on just as they are? What use have they for science?
They'll get acquainted with philosophy and history and so on;
Well, well, they say, we can't permit this sort of thing to go on.
So let us see that schools enroll no girl or lad today,
For the missionaries are our friends, and aren't we glad today!
And since the missionaries had performed such noble deeds,
How could we sit with folded hands and not take part, indeed.
In short, we Moslem clergymen, with our business to proceed,
A ban on certain sciences henceforward have decreed..
For children to be taught at school there surely is no need.
Of independent thought and arrogance we must stamp out the seed,
While there is still the slightest chance, let's act, by god, today,
For the missionaries are our friends, so aren't we glad today!
You curbed the Moslems, missionaries, Allah bless your souls!
And bring- you to the true faith, missionaries. Allah bless your souls!
Let Allah put the schools in ruins, missionaries. Bless your souls!
Let Allah's holy will be done, 0 missionaries! Blessyour souls!
Let all of those who ever tried to open up new schools
Cry, rave, go mad, go wild with fury, idiots, poor fools!
Let teachers be thrown out of work throughout theland today,
The missionaries are our friends, and aren't we glad today!

Translated by Dorian Rottenberg

POETRY:
Ploughman
To the workers of Baku
Questions and Answers
The Odd Sneese