You, who loved me with the deceptions Of truth – and the truth of lies, You, who loved me – beyond all distance! – Beyond boundaries!
You, who loved me longer Than time – your right hand soars! – You don’t love me any more: That’s the truth in six words.
by Марина Ивановна Цветаева (Marina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva) (12 December 1923) from Uncollected Poems translated by David McDuff
Ты, меня любивший фальшью…
Ты, меня любивший фальшью Истины – и правдой лжи, Ты, меня любивший – дальше Некуда! – За рубежи!
Ты, меня любивший дольше Времени. – Десницы взмах! Ты меня не любишь больше: Истина в пяти словах.
The poem recited by the Russian actress Alla Demidova
Additional information: The final line translates more accurately as ‘(the) truth in five words’. ‘You, who loved me – don’t’ is as close as I can, clumsily, get to five words (although you could use ‘anymore’ instead of ‘any more’ too) for the penultimate line while maintaining the structural consistency of the translator’s preceding lines. Then again it’s easy to be a critic. This is David McDuff‘s professional translation so ignore my amateur criticisms – I just found some of the translation choices he made unusual.
2 There is a certain hour like a shed burden, When in ourselves we tame our pride. Hour of discipledom – in every lifetime Triumphant, and not to be denied.
A lofty hour when, having laid our weapons At feet shown to us by a pointing Hand, We trade for camel hair our martial porphyry Upon the sea’s expanse of sand.
O this hour, like the Voice that raises Us to greater deeds from the self-will of days! O hour, when our dense volume presses on us We bow to earth like the ripe ears of maize.
The ears have grown, the festive hour is over, The grain is longing for the grinding mill. The Law! The Law! The yoke which in the earth’s womb I lust after still.
Hour of discipledom. But visible’s Another light – yet one more dawn has glowed. Be blessed, and follow in its steps, You, sovereign hour of solitude.
by Марина Ивановна Цветаева (Marina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva) (15 April 1921) from Ремесло (The Craft) (1923) translated by David McDuff
Information: The cycle is dedicated to Prince Serge Wolkonsky, also referred to as Sergei Mikhailovitch Volkonsky (Серге́й Миха́йлович Волко́нский), who was the grandson of the Decemberist Sergei Volkonsky. Serge was a theatre figure and writer whom Tsvetaeva met in Moscow in 1919, and in 1921 “rewrote him cleanly – out of pure delight and gratitude – his manuscript … and she didn’t write a line of hers, and I didn’t have time, and suddenly she broke through the Apprentice.” Tsvetaeva‘s friendly relationship with Volkonsky continued abroad for many years.
Beneath is the original form of the poem in Cyrillic. It is the second part of the poem series Ученик which can be translated as ‘apprentice’, ‘disciple’, ‘pupil’ or ‘learner’:
Ученик
2
Есть некий час…
Тютчев.
Есть некий час — как сброшенная клажа: Когда в себе гордыню укротим. Час ученичества, он в жизни каждой Торжественно-неотвратим.
Высокий час, когда, сложив оружье К ногам указанного нам — Перстом, Мы пурпур Воина на мех верблюжий Сменяем на песке морском.
О этот час, на подвиг нас — как Голос Вздымающий из своеволья дней! О этот час, когда как спелый колос Мы клонимся от тяжести своей.
И колос взрос, и час весёлый пробил, И жерновов возжаждало зерно. Закон! Закон! Ещё в земной утробе Мной вожделенное ярмо.
Час ученичества! Но зрим и ведом Другой нам свет, — ещё заря зажглась. Благословен ему грядущий следом Ты — одиночества верховный час!
by Сергей Александрович Есенин (Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin)
a.k.a. Sergey Yesenin / Esenin
(1923)
translated by Boris Dralyuk
.
A recital of the poem by the actor Кирилл Радциг (Kirill Radzig).
Beneath is the original Russian version of the poem in Cyrillic:
Папиросники
Улицы печальные, Сугробы да мороз. Сорванцы отчаянные С лотками папирос. Грязных улиц странники В забаве злой игры, Все они — карманники, Веселые воры. Тех площадь — на Никитской, А этих — на Тверской. Стоят с тоскливым свистом Они там день-деньской. Снуют по всем притонам И, улучив досуг, Читают Пинкертона За кружкой пива вслух. Пускай от пива горько, Они без пива — вдрызг. Все бредят Нью-Йорком, Всех тянет в Сан-Франциск. Потом опять печально Выходят на мороз Сорванцы отчаянные С лотками папирос.
.
Information:
Nikitskaya is a radial street that runs west from Mokhovaya Street to Garden Ring in Moscow, between Vozdvizhenka Street (south) and Tverskaya Street (north).
Tverskaya Square is a square in Central Administrative Okrug in Moscow. Belorussky railway station faces the square. The streets which terminate at the square are, in counterclockwise order, Leningradsky Avenue, Gruzinsky Val, 2nd Brestskaya Street, 1st Brestskaya Street, 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street, Lesnaya Street, and Butyrsky Val.
Pinkerton likely references to Allan J. Pinkerton (25 August 1819 – 1 July 1884) who was a Scottish–American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. He produced numerous popular detective books, ostensibly based on his own exploits and those of his agents. Some were published after his death, and they are considered to have been more motivated by a desire to promote his detective agency than a literary endeavour. Most historians believe that Allan Pinkerton hired ghostwriters, but the books nonetheless bear his name and no doubt reflect his views.
Rambling At The Bridge Head 