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Russian Poems in Translation
Becoming interested in and getting involved in Russian literature in the Russian language has happened more recently – post 2000. This new ‘enlightenment’ has introduced me to poets I previously had no knowledge of. I spent a few years simply enjoying the feel of understanding what they were saying by getting my head around their use of Russian. It was much later that I tried my hand at translating in translation poetry. My translations are probably not likely to gain me entry to the halls of approved translators. I have not always retained the original rhyme or rhythm patterns; and maybe wandered beyond the bounds of the Russian phraseology. I take heart, however, at the comment from Vladimir Nabokov quoted in my Pushkin Poems page on this site. In the context of Pushkin’s poem titled simple “To ***” (one of a few with that illuminating title): Nabokov lauded the deep meaning and poetic excellence of the opening line in Russian: "most exciting and soothing to the Russian ear."But derided the English rendition into "I remember a wonderful moment" as a "foolish and flat statement" that "no stretch of the imagination [could] persuade an English reader [to be] the perfect beginning of a perfect poem." He observed that the expression "a literal translation" is more or less nonsense citing that я помню - ya pomnyu - (the Russian literally for ‘I remember’) is "a deeper and smoother plunge into the past than 'I remember'." ("The Art of Translation" by Vladimir Nabokov, New Republic, August 4, 1941)
Anna Akhmatova is one of the two greatest women poets in the history of Russian poetry. Akhmatova's poetry, with a few exceptions, is distinguished from that of Russia's other preeminent woman poet, Marina Tsvetayeva, by its polished form, classical transparency, and thematic intimacy. She wrote comparatively few poems of a "civic" character and, unlike almost any other poet, little or nothing that could be called mediocre. It is revealing that, despite the personal tragedy of her son's arrest and persecution during Stalin's worst purges in 1937-1938, she did not grow bitter but bore her pain with dignity and endurance. In 1946 Akhmatova, along with Mikhail Zoshchenko, fell prey to harsh and unjust criticism in a repressive persecution of the arts. She was not rehabilitated fully until the 1960s. At the time of her death, Akhmatova was highly acclaimed both at home and abroad. (ruverses.com) Squeezing_My_Hands_Out_of_Sight.pdf
Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893–1930) was a prominent Russian Futurist poet, playwright, and artist whose works reflect the turbulent period of Russian history that coincided with World War I, the October Revolution of 1917, and the building of a new socialist society in the Soviet Union. Mayakovsky began composing “Cloud in Trousers” (or “A Cloud in Pant” which I have used) in early 1914 and finished it in July 1915 in Kuokkala (now Repino), near Petrograd (now St. Petersburg). The plot of “Cloud” was inspired by his romantic relationship with Maria Aleksandrovna Denisova. Post-revolutionary Soviet interpretations understood the poem as a lyrical composition, but Mayakovsky himself proclaimed “Cloud” to be “a catechises of contemporary art.” Hounded relentlessly by the watchdogs of Soviet literature and beset by personal disappointments, Mayakovsky shot himself in his Moscow apartment on April 14, 1930. In 1935, Stalin declared that “Mayakovsky was and remains the best and most talented poet of our Soviet era.” This is a short excerpt from Part 1 of the poem. Nobel laureate Boris Pasternak was highly regarded in his native Russia as one of the country’s greatest post-revolutionary poets. He did not gain worldwide acclaim, however, until his only novel, Doctor Zhivago, was first published in Europe in 1958, just two years before the author’s death. (poetry foundation) A characteristic trait of Pasternak’s early work was its dense saturation with poetic elements of striking metaphors and elusive syntax. His poems do not resemble usual poetic substance but rather its quintessence. The scope and palpability of the world in Pasternak’s works appear almost stereoscopic, as branches wet with dew reach out from the page and gently brush the reader’s eyelashes. (ruverses) In one of the poems included at the end of "Doctor Zhivago," Mr. Pasternak speaks through the voice of Hamlet in a poem of that title. The words might well have served as the poet's epitaph. (NYTimes Obituary) Hamlet.pdf Alexander Pushkin is regarded by many as Russia’s greatest poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. He was a prolific writer of poems, novels and plays. Pushkin is usually credited with developing Russian literature. He is seen as having originated the highly nuanced level of language which characterizes Russian literature after him, and he is also credited with substantially augmenting the Russian lexicon. His rich vocabulary and highly-sensitive style are the foundation for modern Russian literature. His accomplishments set new records for development of the Russian language and culture. He became the father of Russian literature in the 19th century, marking the highest achievements of the 18th century and the beginning of literary process of the 19th century (Wikipedia). Tragically, his life was cut short at the age of thirty-eight by being on the losing end of a typically Russian duel.
I_loved_You_Once.pdf Marina Tsvetaeva Marina Tsvetaeva’s life coincided with turbulent years in Russian history. She married Sergei Efron in 1912; they had two daughters and later one son. Efron joined the White Army, and Tsvetaeva was separated from him during the Civil War. She had a brief love affair with Osip Mandelstam, and a longer relationship with Sofia Parnok. During the Moscow famine, Tsvetaeva was forced to place her daughters in a state orphanage, where the younger, Irina, died of hunger in 1919. In 1922 she emigrated with her family to Berlin, then to Prague, settling in Paris in 1925. In Paris, the family lived in poverty. Sergei Efron worked for the Soviet secret police, and Tsvetaeva was shunned by the Russian expatriate community of Paris. In 1939 Tsvetaeva returned to the Soviet Union. Efron was executed, and her surviving daughter was sent to a labour camp. When the German army invaded the USSR, Tsvetaeva was evacuated to Yelabuga with her son. She hanged herself on August 31, 1941. .( poetryfoundation.org)
Hands_on_my_Children's_Heads.pdf Tsvetaeva expresses her devastation at the death of her younger daughter from starvation (see para above)
Fyodor Tyutchev, along with Pushkin and Lermontov, is acknowledged to be one of the three greatest Russian poets of the nineteenth century. Profesional diplomat and prominent statesman, over the course of his life Tyutchev wrote about 300 short lyrical poems of which few were published during his life. However, his poetic legacy was so remarkable that Lev Tolstoy considered him his favorite poet, along with Pushkin, saying that Tyutchev was “deeper than Pushkin.” (russianpoetry.yale.edu)
Sergei Yesenin was a famous Russian lyrical poet of the Silver Age of Russian poetry Yesenin's roots were in the Russian countryside. His poetry showed the influence of the Russian folk traditions as well as a love of the beauty of the landscape which seemed to strike deeply into the famous Russian soul. It was sentimental, but also displayed a sophisticated knowledge of the Russian folk traditions and religious heritage. Right after the Revolution, he wrote several poems which embraced not so much the revolution itself, but the spirit of change which would sweep away the dull stupidities of the past. Yesenin, like many of his contemporaries, placed his own personal hopes upon the revolution, only to reject it later after realizing the direction that it would take. While his poetic range proved to be limited, his best poetry is a fine example of Silver Age poetry. The last two years of Sergei Yesenin's life were filled with constant erratic and drunken behaviour, but he also created some of his most famous pieces of poetry. At the age of thirty, he allegedly cut his wrist and wrote a farewell poem in his own blood. The following day hanged himself from the heating pipes on the ceiling of his room in the Hotel Anglettere. (newworldencyclopedia.org) Winter.pdf
Here is a video of my recital of the poem. My translation follows the recital in Russian. YouTube VideoReturn to top of page Go to Fireside
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