Shadow

My father was studying Russian. Intrigued,
I joined in, learnt a few words.
They lodge in me still.

Suppose me now lost in some Russian forest,
searching about for anyone to direct me.
Boat, I could say, and worker, dog and children.
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
and Not by bread alone. But nothing useful.
Then as they stared, add Peace and then Goodbye.

What would they make of this? A madwoman
loose in the forest!
Nor would it help to know that shadow in Russian
can be both masculine and feminine.
As maybe shadows are.

But when I passed you, neighbour, on the stairs
...