You Are Falling Asleep

Eugene Grishkovets

About Eugene Grishkovets

Grishkovets is popular for his solo dramas (monologs) that he writes, stages and acts himself. He is also an author of several books and has two recorded albums with the band Bigoudi, in which he recites his rhythmically arranged sketches to a light electronic beat.

About This Poem

The popular Russian playwright, stage director and actor Eugene Grishkovets performs his blank verse to music. Grishkovets is popular for his solo dramas (monologs) that he writes, stages and acts himself. He is also an author of several books and has two recorded albums with the band Bigoudi, in which he recites his rhythmically arranged sketches to a light electronic beat.

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Ты засыпа́ешь, я это зна́ю

Ты в темноте́, ты засыпа́ешь.

Не говори́шь по телефо́ну, не чита́ешь,

Ты засыпа́ешь.

И у тебя́ за закры́тыми глаза́ми

Там не тьма, там ка́пли све́та,

Оста́тки дня, кото́рый та́ет

Ты в темноте́, ты засыпа́ешь

Я это зна́ю.

У меня́ то же са́мое - я засыпа́ю.

Не говорю́ по телефо́ну, не чита́ю,

Ты засыпа́ешь и я засыпа́ю.

А что у меня́ есть?

Ничего́ у меня́ нет.

Есть, пра́вда, оди́н вопро́с

И к нему́ два отве́та

Есть о́бувь, есть оде́жда,

Есть каки́е-то де́ньги,

Есть наде́жда,

Есть не́сколько друзе́й,

В па́мяти каки́е-то ли́ца,

Не́сколько книг,

Там же кино́, каки́е-то слова́,

Но ско́ро и э́того не бу́дет,

Потому́ что я засыпа́ю,

Мы сейча́с встре́тимся,

Я засыпа́ю и ты засыпа́ешь.

Мы в темноте́, мы засыпа́ем,

Ты засыпа́ешь и я засыпа́ю.

Не говори́м по телефо́ну, не чита́ем,

Ты засыпа́ешь, и я это зна́ю.

Сейча́с мы встре́тимся,

Ты засыпа́ешь и я засыпа́ю…

You are falling asleep, I know

You are in darkness, you are falling asleep.

You do not talk on the phone, you do not read,

You are falling asleep.

And behind your closed eyes

It's not darkness there, it's drops of light,

The remnants of the day melting away

You are in darkness, you are falling asleep

This I know.

With me it is the same – I am falling asleep.

I don’t talk on the phone, I don’t read,

You are falling asleep, and I am falling asleep.

And what do I have?

I have nothing.

There is, it’s true, one question

And with it two answers

There are shoes, there are clothes,

There is some money,

There is hope,

There are a few friends,

In memory some faces,

A few books,

Also a movie theatre, some words,

But soon even these will no longer be,

Because I am falling asleep,

We soon will meet,

I am falling asleep and you are falling asleep.

We are in the dark, we are falling asleep,

You are falling asleep, and I am falling asleep.

We are not talking on the phone, not reading,

You are falling asleep, and I know this.

Soon we will meet,

You are falling asleep and I am falling asleep…

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