Standing strong, my extraordinary nation,
I still bask in the warmth of admiration.
As long as my mother tongue survives,
With future generations, I will thrive.
I paid no mind to careless words,
Though I'd pause pain if I could with chords.
All I have to give is poetry's light—
What else can I offer my homeland's might?
Instead of praising, let's seek to grow,
Blessings from elders we ought to know.
If we can't stand firm for the truth's refrain,
Surely, we'll face the bullets again!
January’s soil has barely dried,
Yet festive tunes in Almaty abide.
Amid the nation's woes unfolding,
Our blind society remains unknowing!
PANHANDLING IN ALMATY
Used to think I was street smart till a couple of years ago
Touring in Almaty*, strolling the street, looking western, you know.
Young guy comes up to me and shows me a large bill and asks for small change.
Foreign language….who knew? I got out all my coins and offered to exchange:
He took them all politely. He walked slowly to another tourist and then
Politely did exactly the same thing again.
I’d never seen this con, asking for small change - misleadingly simple ruse -
But not in exchange for his large bill : gambling that tourists he would confuse.
I reckoned his income was greater than mine, maybe 50 000 bucks a year.
Panhandling in Almaty makes a profit big and clear.
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*Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan. The city was formerly
called Alma Ata, and it used to be the Kazakh capital.