A Prince's Lullaby *

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Sleep well, Prince Alexei

Although you will never know

That you shall never eat again

The finest food eaten by men:


Meat roasted over fires of peasant bones,

Their sweat salting it for you to eat,

And the gravy made of peasant blood.

All brought to you by peasant feet


Sleep well, Prince Alexei...

You were always safe and always sound.

Your blood is blue, and theirs is red,

Better that their blood was shed.


Was your blood not strange, dear Prince?

Then came Rasputin, half starved.

He was a priest, could cure you—but for a price

They gave him coins from peasant teeth carved.


Sleep well, Prince Alexei!

For through crying you have slept

For through shouting you have slept

For through gunshots you have slept


You can certainly sleep now.

Stop weeping, just take a breath.

Sleep well, Prince Alexei

In the soft cradle of death.



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