The Fridge by Boris Slutsky

What a sturdy square block of a thing you are!
Such a fine, white, self-satisfied creature!
 
Sometimes you stand dumb as a boulder
or drop off into a cold sleep, or
Sometimes your metal belly rumbles, but there's
no point in working out your meaning.
 
Of all machines the fridge must be the
most good-natured; hog-fat and
roomy as a snow-drift, it
must be said to hold the purest heart.
 
Firmly under human domination
even the cold that creeps out from it
is only a small cold blast, too small
to threaten any freeze-up of our future.
 
If ever robots rise in revolution,
if ever they attack the human race,
at least you refrigerators won't be
amongst the ones to break the peace.
 
For you are the house-dog of machinery
a faithful and contented animal;
so give your door a docile wag for Man,
your living friend, and show him how you smile.
 

by Борис Абрамович Слуцкий
(Boris Abramovich Slutsky)
(19??)
translated by Elaine Feinstein

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We Didn’t Know What To Do by Rony Robinson

When Nanny fell into the freezer

We didn’t know what to do.

(Would you?)

We heard her shout

As the lid slammed shut,

And her leg stuck out

(We could see her foot).

We heard, from inside, a kind of cough.

We wondered about turning the electric off.

But we were watching Nanny’s TV,

And she’d just made us a rather nice tea.

When Nanny fell into the freezer

We didn’t know what to do.

(Would you?)

(Pull at her shoe?)

We didn’t know whether to ring the doctor

Or to call the vet.

When Nanny fell into the freezer –

We think she’s still there yet.

 

– by Rony Robinson