ANTHEM

ANATOLY
Walter, you bastard! You didn't tell me you’d fixed all this!

WALTER
Welcome to the West, Anatoly.

(The Reporters assail Anatoly with a barrage of questions in various accents. 'Why are you defecting?' - 'No comment' - 'Have you abandoned the match?' - 'No!' - 'Are you a part of a dissident movement?' - 'No comment' - 'What about your wife?' - 'No comment!' One particular question stops Anatoly.)

REPORTER
Can anything be worth leaving your homeland forever?

ANATOLY
I am not leaving anything. Beat it you jerk-off!

(Exit reporters. Silence for the first time as the ANTHEM music begins. Svetlana observes from the balcony.)


ANTHEM

ANATOLY
NO MAN, NO MADNESS
THOUGH THEIR SAD POWER MAY PREVAIL
CAN POSSESS, CONQUER, MY COUNTRY'S HEART
THEY RISE TO FAIL
SHE IS ETERNAL
LONG BEFORE NATIONS LINES WERE DRAWN
WHEN NO FLAGS FLEW, WHEN NO ARMIES STOOD
MY LAND WAS BORN.

AND YOU ASK ME WHY I LOVE HER
THROUGH WARS, DEATH AND DESPAIR
SHE IS THE CONSTANT, WE WHO DON'T CARE
AND YOU WONDER WILL I LEAVE HER -- BUT HOW?
I CROSS OVER BORDERS BUT I'M STILL THERE NOW.

HOW CAN I LEAVE HER?
WHERE WOULD I START?
LET MAN'S PETTY NATIONS TEAR THEMSELVES APART
MY LAND'S ONLY BORDERS LIE AROUND MY HEART.

(Anatoly exits. Svetlana descends in the elevator.)