Selected Poems

The Suicide Note

The Suicide Note To Everyone Don’t blame anyone for my death, and please don’t gossip. The deceased really hated that. Mama, sisters, and comrades forgive me—this isn’t a solution (I don’t recommend it to others) but for me there’s no other way out. Lily—love me. Comrade Government my family is Lily Brik, Mama, my sisters, and Veronika Vitoldovna Polonskaya. If you can provide a decent life for them—thanks. Give the poems I’ve started to the Briks they’ll sort them out. As they say— “the case is cloved” The love boat has smashed against convention. Life and I are quits and there’s no point in listing mutual hurts misfortunes and offenses. Best of luck to those I leave behind Vladimir Mayakovsky April 12, 1930 Comrades at RAPP don’t think me cowardly Seriously—it can’t be helped. the soviet years ✦ 155 156 ✦ vladimir mayakovsky Greetings. Tell Yermilov it’s too bad he took down the slogan we should have fought it out. VM Use the 2,000 rub. in my desk drawer to pay my taxes. You can get the rest from the State Publishing House V. M. ...