some time ago

i lived in the empire 

with a universal muse—

that bald man with a sly look.

mukagaly

poeticized him

and became respected

for a short while

by the followers

of those

who exterminated

our nomadic ancestors.

living mummy

born from an insidious myth

that made a hole

in the minds of millions—

of sixth of the world.

the myth constantly changes appearance

reclines on the throne

hovers as a ghost

in the vastness of mawarannahr

declaring:

dictatorship

will never end.

i used to say as a child

i am lenin

i was born on april 22

although my birthday is

a day earlier.