Comprehension

Address by Alexey Navalny

Yulia… if it turns out wrong —
just know I wasn’t blind.
Sometimes the pull is just too strong.
You know — I couldn’t stay behind.

I’d never want you stuck in fear.
Fear spreads like fog — it dims the way.
But you’ve been steady, sharp, and clear,
and never let me drift or stray.

I’ve been so lucky by your side —
to see you close, to hear your voice.
You helped me stand. You walked with pride.
With you, I felt I had a choice.

You pulled me out of sudden holes
no one could see I’d fallen in.
I followed what I thought was whole.
And you — you stayed my light within.

And Yulia… if they do kill me behind this wall
just know I didn’t walk in fear.
Sometimes you answer a true call,
no matter if the end is near.

That’s all I had. I couldn’t trade
or lie or run or look away.
This was the only price I paid —
for Russia, kind and free, someday.

21.05.2025

* Written as if from Alexey Navalny to his wife Yulia. For those who still ask why. Navalny was a Russian opposition leader, poisoned in 2020, imprisoned upon return to Russia, and died in 2024 in prison.