Thoughts of a dancer

When I was a little kid,

I used to drive my cars a bit.

Chevrolets Pontiacs

And very little tiny trucks.

Now I’m attending school

And my car is always cool –

Either Civic or Accord.

Or just very fancy Ford.

Soon I’ll get a better job

As a lawyer or a cop.

With all pride and full rejoice

I will purchase new Rolls-Royce.

Vadim Garbuzov, 1996

Happy birthday, dad!

You never have a bed.

There was a time when you and mama were lawfully wed.

When I go to Ukraine,

I’m gonna experience pain.

I feel that your spirit is never gonna die.

Besides I’ve only once seen you cry.

You are going bold

And you have been told:

– Hey, at least you won’t grow mold

Bye-bye!

And please don’t cry.

Vadim Garbuzov, 9th of August, 1999

Колись ми, тату, ходили в Riley Park.

Спочатку Canada була a little dark.

Ми стрибали, плавали і мали собі fun.

And now I guess the fun is already done.

I rode my bike to school and then to other places.

We went there not to sit at home.

Пердіти is a good word I used to hear a lot,

It’s just like many people like doing lots of pot.

When Vadik sold a car, he usually made some money.

And now he probably thinks that stuff is just funny.

You usually did not have luck in buying or selling a car.

You get more money than selling car by far.

Another poem I will give you in time I think,

But now I’m gonna go and get myself a drink.

Vadim Garbuzov, 9th of August, 2000

Merry Christmas to you, my humble family!

I don’t think this is how Christmas has to be.

We should all gather around

And announce what we have found.

We should talk about the sky.

And the wisdom filled ground.

– In the church we must rejoice, –

Always tells us Sister Ruth.

In the church we have no choice,

But to witness the holy truth,

In Canada we eat turkey,

In Ukraine we drink Champaign.

In America beef jerky,

In Africa food from the drain.

I hope you get what I’m trying to say,

But if you still, don’t you will some other day.

I will finish this tomorrow, for sure not today.

And when I do, you’ll be amazed what I say.

Vadim Garbuzov, 24th of December, 2000

Found a job I see,

We congratulate you with our big family.

I know you feel much better and stable,

Because now you’ll afford to buy yourself cable!

Now it’s the time to learn some more,

And in a break between that visit a corner store.

You will stay in Vancouver,

Or go to New York

And maybe Hong Kong to eat some Chinese pork.

Vancouver is perfect,

You can work and relax,

It’s kind of villagelike but,

It’s not like you have to work with an axe.

37 years old –

It’s not an old age.

When you turn 40,

In the book of your life

It will be the next page.

I will try dancing,

It might work out.

But the main thing is not to do anything you doubt.

Who knows what might happen?

Iet’s not fortune tell.

Let’s live our life and say what the Hell!

Vadim Garbuzov, August, 2001, 2009–2010

When in life the bad situation comes,

It’s payment for the good times before.

There comes the time when we realize

That good and bad even out their score.

All ups and downs in life

Make a path to our goal.

It’s up to us to decide,

Which way we must fall.

My dance teacher says,

– It’s everything in our hands.

We have to drop all the foolishness