Work Text:
You will survive by greasing someone's palm:
show off a wad of bills – and you're alright.
Who knows? Maybe you'd get one measly chance
to find your place under the sun without a fight.
You wanna live? Forget about your soul:
don't dare to love, feel sorry or forgive,
don't think about lending your support
if the recipient has nothing left to give.
If you want to survive – forget your inner truth,
your essence must be buried like a treasure:
convert your way of life into a clever ruse
and show the world the mask of being casual.
You will survive if you can change your name:
let people call you «cynic», «fucker», «bastard»,
your bestest traits discard for cash and fame
and sell yourself, like a resourceful hustler.
For your survival let the law become a fluke,
don't pay attention to your qualms of conscience:
you need to kill – then murder, need to steal – then loot,
don't waste your time on useless moral nonsense.
You want to live. You're ready to transform
for that into a creature – vile and gross.
You're not afraid to lose your ethic core,
but better death than such a dreadful loss.