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Presents:

IVAN IVANYCH SAMOVAR

by Daniil Kharms



Ivan Ivanych Samovar
Was a pot-bellied samovar,
A three-bucket samovar.
Inside him boiled the water,
Puffed with steam the boiling water,
The furious boiling water,
Poured into the cup through the tap
Through the hole right into the tap
Right into the cup through the tap.

Early in the morning came,
To the samovar came,
Uncle Petya came.
Uncle Petya says,
“Give me some to drink”, he says,
“I'll drink some tea”, he says.

To the samovar came,
Auntie Katya came,
With a glass she came.
Auntie Katya says,
“I, of course,” she says,
“Will also have a drink,” she says.

Then grandpa came,
Very old he came,
In shoes grandpa came.
He yawned and says,
“Perhaps I should drink,” he says,
“Perhaps some tea,” he says.

Then grandma came,
Very old she came,
Even with a cane she came.
And, thinking, she says,
“Well, a drink”, she says,
“Well, some tea,” she says.

Suddenly, the girl ran up,
To the samovar she ran up,
This granddaughter ran up.
“Pour me,” she says,
“A cup of tea,” she says,
“For me, make it sweeter,” she says.

Then the dog Zhuchka ran up,
With the cat Murka he ran up,
To the samovar he ran up,
To get with milk,
Boiling water with milk,
With boiling milk.

Suddenly Seryozha came,
Unwashed he came,
Later than everyone else he came.
“Give me,” he says,
“A cup of tea,” he says,
“For me, a big cup,” he says.

They tipped and they tipped
And they tipped the samovar,
But out of it came
Only steam, steam, steam.
They tipped the samovar
Like a bookcase, bookcase, bookcase,
But out of it came
Only drop, drop, drop.

Samovar Ivan Ivanych!
On the table Ivan Ivanych!
Golden Ivan Ivanych!
Boiling water he does not give
To those who are late he does not give,
To lazybones he does not give.

The End
1928


See also:
Biography of Daniil Kharms



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