Here is the seventy years that brought forth these poems: IMAGINE growing up on stories and songs about your great country, the most fair, the most just, the most technologically advanced.. and the stories you're read, the little poems you learn to recite about the great revolutionary past of your country, the great heroes, all kind, honest, fearless and strong.. and the Revolutionary war.. But imagine: as you grow up, you realize that all the time everyone who can think, KNOWS that its all a lie, that outside of capitol people are starving as we speak; that all the thinking people who dared to speak/write "out-loud" were killed/sent to the camps/banned/blacklisted.. that the government is nothing but a bunch of cowards and burocrats who climbed to the top over the backs of others; that the Revolutionary war was nothing but a slaughter of all who disagreed with the new government policies; and that the Great Heroes, now raised to the statue of sainthood were ordinary bandits and criminals who killed off all their allies and friends to achieve their Greatness. Imagine people who don't dare speak their minds except when in their kitchen at night with their closest friends. Imagine that you haven't just read this now - but instead this IS your life, and has been your parents life, and their parents life too.. Welcome to 1980's St. Petersburg.. ...the black snow is on the ground, and the packs of homeless dogs are circling the standard grey-brick apartment buildings and beautiful old palaces that fill this city.. come to your tiny kitchen where, sitting at the tiny table you can touch the fridge and the lightswitch on the opposite wall.. close the curtains, sit at the table and read..

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