Farewell to youth, my very own Falstaff

by Sergei Gandlevsky
translated by Philip Nikolayev

Farewell to youth, my very own Falstaff,
I board a streetcar.
All part of evolution, I once was
a loafer, but have since become a loner.
And yet this April
with its alcohol-free drip
hits me like booze.
Maybe, it’s time tobuild a birdhouse,
direct my efforts at a worthy target.
Or, maybe, time to do some target-shooting.
In other words,there is no consolation.