valentina

far to the east, cross an ocean of blue
exists there a land, of which I am learning
on pale wings, a bird, upon there we flew
espied of the ground, my heart filled with yearning

settled in the sixth century of lore
and then in the tenth, soon fell under Hungary
til the end of the war said to end all the war
then absorbed by the czech republic to be

was here, a grand place, enchantment for me
shores of the danube, sweet sonnets are sung
on new years day, nineteen ninety three
independant republic, Slovakia, begun

ending our flight, soon rode a swift beetewk
through the talgan forest eluding the cheka
for the pogrom was spreading to every known aul
we sought not to allow perestroika to catch us

was not for the nebbish to follow our lead
through hills of carpathia we made our escape
was useless of others to pursue our great steed
by nightfall we arrived at the villages' cape

seven coins of koruna was all it would take
for koushes of kasha, kielbasa and lokshen
fine sevruga and knishes of babka and cake
our bellies had filled, we laid down in a glen

we awakened next morn to tunes of a balalaika
and yelps of barukhzies were heard all around
many fair maidens were performing the trepak
as the men stood round clapping and stomping the ground

we met an old feldsher who owned a tchotchke
so we ventured inside to spy of it's wares
he asked us just how we avoided the purga
of soldiers and government agents with snares

we told him we rode a sweet bird of the seeker
and here we'll remain for the rest of our days
my woman of green eyes fast became a teacher
and soon bore a daughter, ourselves born to raise

(slovakia has a 99.6% literacy rate)