Ach liebe Schüler, was habt ihr getan?

Oh dear pupils, look at what you’ve done!—
Where is the music, where is life and fun?
You brought the slingshots, aiming at the birds,
And their singing’s no longer heard,
You trapped the sun and nailed it to the wall
And now it’s cold and there’s no light at all.

Oh dear pupils, look at what you’ve done!—
You with your hair cut short or in a bun,
Never allowing your hair to fall free—
Oh dear pupils, what do you say to me?

You have cut off your noses and your legs,
You have reduced your minds to rotten eggs,
Regurgitating what your elders say—
Oh dear pupils, what have you done today?

Where is the spirit? Where is the will to learn?
Where is that passion that within you burns?
You covered up your ears and your eyes,
Without questions trusting all the lies.

Oh dear pupils, when will you be free?
When will you hear and really start to see?
When will you see that one plus one’s still one,
That this big world is made for everyone?


   November 27, 2004 
--Alexander Shaumyan