Cockroach and Squid

On seabed, where waters are deep and dark,
There lived Squid, graceful and mysterious.
He floated, like stranger from another world,
And explored with tentacles all the secrets of sea.

Cockroach, nocturnal creature, inhabitant of dark corners,
Ran and twisted tirelessly, as if in bewitching dance.
Among shadows and crumbs he found his food,
And with endurance he caused envy and bewilderment.




Free image from Pixabay



One night Squid and Cockroach met somewhere,
On border between light and darkness, being and non-being.

Squid said: "You, Cockroach, night dweller,
You find food and shelter in every corner."

Cockroach replied: "You, Squid, like artist,
You performing unearthly dance in depths of sea.
Each of us is master and king in our element,
And with all our differences, you and I are alike."

They both nodded to each other then shook hands,
And hugged like siblings after long separation,
And went somewhere into unknown distance,
Meanwhile, writer of fables was tearing out hair on his head,
Trying to come up with something new that hasn't happened before,
And the ending of all this story seemed to inexorably approaching.




The original text was written by me in Russian. I haven't studied English systematically, so translation may not be ideal. The main work was done by Google Translate, I just corrected obvious absurdities, where I noticed them and where I did not confuse them with brilliant insights.