Vladimir Mayakovsky — I Call

Like a heavyweight lifter,

I stumbled on, tired.

I called,

as if summoning people to vote,

or alarming

the villagers

that there’s a fire:

“Here!

Here it is!

Help me carry my load!”

When they saw 

such a bulk sobbing and wailing -

through snow

and through mud

running,

in fright,

all the ladies 

quickly 

scurried away from me:

“That’s too much…

We just wanted a tango tonight.”

I can do it no more,--

And yet, I carry this burden.

I want to throw it away -

but I won’t,

that’s for certain!

I walked on, enduring the pain in my chest.

My ribcage was trembling under the stress.