The truth is forbidden, it is expelled;

From Impatience by Lazar Shereshevsky.  Gulag survivor and poet, 1955

The truth is forbidden, it is expelled;

All the doors and the windows are closed to it now.

And yet, I believe in the people’s instinct for the truth,

I still believe in common sense.

An anekdot goes amongst the people

Its way to the soul is through eyes and ears.

Perhaps, this anekdot won’t reach our grandsons,

But at least our contemporaries will speak their heart in it.

Great men, decorated with crowns or with wreaths,

May be flattered most cleverly and skilfully.

But the people crack a good joke about them –

And perish all the praise, be it written or verbal.

The historians, digging through the archives,

May curse or glorify these people tomorrow.

But our trial by anger or laughter,

Is by far fairer than latterday judgements.