St Petersburg, beautiful city,
old palaces, churches – so pretty.
Cradle of former revolutions,
people today face prosecutions.
Police, using stun guns, scare the crowd.
Mass arrest, bloody clashes, really loud –
yet peaceful protests for human rights.
Ask the ruler to stop brutal fights.
A.N. – though not undisputed –
is convinced that the czar has looted
Russia; owns a Black Sea palace,
is in fact a man with malice.
Compatriots gave N a deadly potion.
He in return touched Russian souls and emotion.
IO, 7.2.2021 (16)