To Women 12. 'Thank You, Lilith.' Poem by Konstantin Ananin

Many years ago, when I was about 25, I heard a funny toast and remembered it. I told it many times adding changes, and after reading some poems about Lilith I decided to write this poem. I hope it isn’t too bad.


Let’s sing about the girl
That was as pretty as a pearl.
Lilith… You know the end
Learn now how all began.
So, she lived on her own
In the paradise, it’s known.
But one day she realized,
“What a bore, this paradise! ”
And the Lord made her life funny:
He just made a stupid monkey
Run about her and make
Funny jokes, jump and shake.
Some days later she came back
As she’d found a new lack.
An old boar was very rude,
And she didn’t like his mood.
Well, perhaps he wasn’t kind,
But she cried, and up she climbed.
No doubt, the Lord knew
What to do. He said, “For you”,
Clapped his hands and called a tiger:
He was known as a fighter.
“You can go anywhere”,
Said the Lord and called a mare
As was sure the next day
She’d come back again and say
She felt tired after walking.
The next day when he was talking
With his parrot (don’t surprise:
Parrots knew the paradise) ,
Poor girl returned again,
And the Lord heard her exclaim,
“Oh Lord, I need caress! ”
“Hey, Lilith, I need some rest”
Was his answer. But, of course,
He helped her. Learn what it was.
A snake! Poisonous, no doubt.
Tell me what you thought about!
Stinging? Yes? There’s nothing new!
You’d help so! Shame on you!
But the snake was told to hug.
Any modern girl’d say, “Yuck! ”
Lilith thought something like that
As she came back soon and said,
“Oh Lord, the only wish…”
“Yes”, he said, “I’ll call a fish”.
“Fish? ” she asked. “Perhaps a bird?
It’ll be perfect”, smiled the Lord.
“Oh Lord, if all these features
Were united in one creature,
I would never ask you more…”
She began but stopped: she saw
What she wanted. She saw him,
Adam and his tempting beam.
“Well, be happy! ” said the Lord,
And the boy gave her a pot…

***
Handsome boys can brighten up
Any girl, but there’s the rub…
In that case you can guess what.
Yes, it was a dirty pot…