S.Marshak, A Disseminated Man - Translation (Rus.) Poem by Lyudmila Purgina

Once a man disseminated
(* disseminated here is the absent-minded)
Lived on street, named after basin.

One day he set up on bed,
Began to put on shirt. What's that?
When his hands in sleeves he thrusted,
It happened, that it were the trousers.

Such was man disseminated
From the street, named after Basin!

When he tried to put on coat -
He was said, that he was wrong so.

When he tried to pull on leggings,
He was said: 'You are mistaken.'

Such was man disseminated
From the street, named after basin.

And instead of hat on head
He had put a frying pan.

And instead of felt-boots - gloves
He has pulled on his heels once.

Such was man disseminated
From the street, named after basin.

And one day on the tramway
He went to railway station,
On opening doors he said
To tram driver the words like that:
'The highly esteemed driver
Of highly esteemed tram!
The tramly esteemed highver
Of drively esteemed way!
I have the urgent need this time
From tram to go out.
Would you be then so kind
To stop the stateway at the tramtion!

The driver surely was amazed,
Opened the doors for his request.

Such was man disseminated
From the street, named after basin.

The he rushed to buffet quickly
To buy there a railway ticket,
And then went to booking office
To buy there a kvass noggin.

Such was man disseminated
From the street, named after basin!

Then to platform he did run,
Got into the uncoupled car,
Carried in his baggage large -
All his bundles and his truncks,
Shoved them under the seats,
Sat at window to sleep.

- What's the station? - he exclaimed
In the morning to next day.
From the platform voice had come:
- That's the city Leningrad.

He again slept for a while,
To the window looked, smiling.
Having see the great train station,
He, amazed, asked in negation:

- Where did we stop for certain?
Bologoe? or Popovka? -
And from platform voice had come:
- That's the city Leningrad.

And again he slept awile,
Looked at window the nest time,
Having seen the railway station,
Asked again with some amazement:

- What the station do I see?
Yamskaya? or Dibuny? -
And from platform voice had come:
- That's the city Leningrad.

Then he cried: - What is the game?
I was riding for two days!
And at last where did arrive?
I've arrived to Leningrad!

Such was man disseminated
From the street, named after basin!

1930