Lenin in the Presence of God
A trans creation after Iqbal, by Rafiq Kathwari
God
Aha! Comrade Ulyanov—
Welcome! Or I should say,
Dobro Pozhalovat!
Lenin
You’re alive? But “God is dead,” they said.
God
I inhabit men’s heart: passion’s home,
and for a moment
my angels swayed to your tune.
Lenin
So, this is the source of the babble in churches.
God
Command and Control.
Shock and Awe.
@NoGodButGod
Lenin
I need a drink…
God
Heaven is not your local pub,
but we’ve a house white on tap:
Water of Life. Glass or Goblet?
Lenin
Shot glass. Neat.
God
Think of it as Korsvodka.
Red blush on your cheeks—
it’s not rouge. Is it?
Lenin
‘Tis, but O All Knowing, when will the boat of capitalism sink?
God
When church spires soar above skyscrapers,
when those who influence the influencers
blast hell to heaven.
Lenin
When? O Architect of Destiny. When?
God
Too early to tell,
a hundred years from now perhaps
when Deceit is the New Enlightenment.
Lenin
They drink your blood and preach equality.
God
When pompous patronizing puffed-up
pitiful venomous vicious presstitutes
trump democracy.
Lenin
“…all go in the dustbin of history…”
God
When Beijing becomes the Brussels of the East
and ships hoist a gold star on red
as they float above a plastic sea.
Lenin
Bless the bitter proletariat.
God
When the godforsaken oligarchs sell rope
to the owners of capital
with which they hang themselves.
Lenin
Boja Moi!
God
Don’t mock me, Tovarish Ulyanov,
You’re merely a speck of dust.
May Иисус, my son, watch over you. Poca!
***
Notes
Dobro Pozhalovat — Welcome!
Добро пожаловать
Boja Moi— Oh my God!
Боже мой
Tovarish — Comrade
Товарищ
Иисус — Jesus
Poka — Bye
Пока