I have a 1987 autographed copy from Hungry Mind books in Minneapolis.
The book is a treasure. ( )

From my guts I learned the hunger of war
My ribs taught me the geography of Russia

Yevtushenko has always impressed me as a novelist and essayist. This first venture into his verse did not reflect those earlier joyful successes. The opening poem I Would Like is a cry for a nuanced appreciation of everything, a plea that all should have the experiences of those separated by land, class or tongue. The next poem is Fuku, a 70 page exploration of the legacy of hatred and destruction. Fuku itself is an African word meaning agent of misfortune and through the poem we touch base with the Gulag, Harlem, Paula Hitler and a depressing host of road-side attractions of atrocity: name dropping napalm and Pinochet all along its merry way. From there matters just appeared to unravel, singing the praises of the hungry children and Louis Armstrong's sweat. It was appropriate that while reading this volume I listened to the Dylan Bootleg series Volumes 1-3. Despite so much beauty, so many things have not aged well. ( )