Anatomy Lesson Poem by viacheslav kupriyanov

Forgive me
students
but my skeleton
will not be
a good visual aid

while still alive
I so loved life and freedom
that I opened up my chest
to free my heart
and from each rib
I tried
to create a woma

while alive I used to
tear my brains apart
with questions about life
not to mention
the skull

Translated from Russian into English by Dasha Nisula
From the Anthology 'RHYTHM and FREE VERSE across the SLAVIC BELT', Exile Edition,2023