"Скажи-ка, дядя, ведь не даром
Москва, спаленная пожаром,
Французу отдана?
Ведь были ж схватки боевые,
Да, говорят, еще какие!
Недаром помнит вся Россия
Про день Бородина!
…"
Twice while in South America, I was asked to recite some Russian poetry. It turned out that I was woefully unprepared.
Need to brush up on some before I go back to Argentina!
This one is Borodino by Lermontov (see full), about the battle for Moscow with the French, in the war of 1812.