THE SPIRIT OF REBELLION

The moon is full, the night is young,
I could be mad, I could be drunk,
I could be just another fool--
You were always telling me...
And yet I know in my heart
That you and I were meant to part,
And all that matters
Is the spirit of rebellion.

The tragic laugh, the tears of joy,
Alone, sad and unemployed,
It's just the way I would end up
You were always telling me...
And yet I know deep inside
I don't have anything to hide
And all that matters
Is the spirit of rebellion.

I wrote these songs, these senseless songs--
Yes, you were right and I was wrong--
I never was to be respectable or sellable...
Yet I would laugh this stupid laugh
As if my pain is not enough
And all that matters
Is the spirit of rebellion.

My heart's afire! Hold on quick
To this eternal Augenblick!*
Yes, I'd rather be a roaming rapscallion--
Just kiss me, darling, while you can,
Tomorrow we won't meet again
And all that matters
Is the spirit of rebellion.

And if tomorrow I should die,
Just take this verse, my love, don't cry,
Remembering the things
That I've been telling you--
One day we die, it's all the same,
This cruel life is just a game
And all that matters
Is the spirit of rebellion.

                        December 1, 1995
                    --Alexander Shaumyan

_____
*German: "moment"