Eternally walking hand in hand. Life and death. MEMENTO MORI ET MEMENO VITAE.

Yevgeny Yevtushenko Life and Death
Life before Death -
like a girl in front of a woman.
Girl Life is simple-minded.
Cynical woman Death.
Life, according to Death,
infected with sanctimoniousness.
Death is devoid of sentimentality--
try to have mercy.
Old age, disease, hunger,
bullets, knives, ropes,
bombs, electric chair,
vodka and luminal,
automobile wheels,
sucking funnels -
it's Death's weapon,
that's her arsenal.
Death will prick the soul
with a rusty needle of gossip,
then failure will squeeze you
throat like a noose,
it'll infect you with willpower -
the dreaded germ of death,
your conscience will see to it
in two
with a saw.
What helps Death?
Cowardice, slackness of spirit,
Our self-deceptions,
our "ifs," our "hows," our "somehows.
There's no shame in cheating death.
Death is an old schlucha.
Girl Life is shameful
to cheat at something.
Don't die in your lifetime.
Don't help Death!
Death is the queen of snow.
Cold is her captivity.
You help Life,
like a little girl named Gerda,
pushing away the cold
with the apples of my knees


1973