Translations of classical Russian poetry by Ilya Shambat

Post by Ilya Shambat
Since the Geocities shut down, I put up a new Russian poetry
translation site at
http://sites.google.com/site/ibshambat
It has the translations of Anna Akhmatova, Osip Mandelshtam, Marina
Tsvetayeva, Igor Severyanin, Vladimir Vysotsky, and a new page of
translations of Alexander Blok.
Also I've put up a philosophical essay called Integrative Cognition
and Dualities at
http://sites.google.com/site/ilyashambatwritings/integrative
Happy 2010 to all,
Ilya Shambathttp://bettermillenium.blogspot.com.

Fifty Soviet Poets compiled and edited by Vladimir Ognev and Dorian
Rottenberg

(Book Description from
http://www.amazon.com/Fifty-Soviet-Poets-Vladimir-Ognev/dp/158963604X):

"A treasury of modern soviet poetry. Works of 50 modern - post 1920 -
Russian poets with text in Russian on one side and English on the
other. Illustrated with photographs of the poets and capsule
biographies. Includes Yevgeni Yevtushenko, Boris Pasternak, Boris
Slutsky, Alexander Prokofiev, Nikolai Zabolotsky, Anna Akhmatova,
Nikolai Aseyev, Rasul Gamzatov, Silva Kaputikyan, Samuel Marshak,
Sergei Mikhalkov and many others."

I expected "Soviet" poetry to be clamped down and dry from the
opressions of the era, but was pleasantly surprised that they have the
same poetic drives as poets anywhere.

Vladimir Lugovskoy... you don't happen to be familiar with him -
perhaps give a whirl at translating some of his work? Actually, I had
a link to many of his poems in Russian, which a firend named Jerry
Kraus found for me, and actually translated one of them... I'll find
that and post the link here for you, if possible.

--
Corning Town by Will Dockery & Brian Mallard:

Ilya Shambat

2010-02-07 07:38:06 UTC

Thank you, Ilya... I delved into Russian poetry pretty heavily a
couple of years ago, when i found a nice book from the early 1970s,
"50 Soviet Poets".
Vladimir Lugovskoy is one of my favorite poets from /any/ country. I
discovered his work During my rounds to the used book stores/thrift
shops a couple of years ago, I came across this cool little hardback
from 1974 Russia, for two bucks, I see it was reprinted in 2001 but
they probably didn't keep the quaint shaky
typeset and binding this copy has that makes it a fascinating artifact
from a time long passed.
http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/418JBTJQD0L._SS500_.jpg
Fifty Soviet Poets compiled and edited by Vladimir Ognev and Dorian
Rottenberg
"A treasury of modern soviet poetry. Works of 50 modern - post 1920 -
Russian poets with text in Russian on one side and English on the
other. Illustrated with photographs of the poets and capsule
biographies. Includes Yevgeni Yevtushenko, Boris Pasternak, Boris
Slutsky, Alexander Prokofiev, Nikolai Zabolotsky, Anna Akhmatova,
Nikolai Aseyev, Rasul Gamzatov, Silva Kaputikyan, Samuel Marshak,
Sergei Mikhalkov and many others."
I expected "Soviet" poetry to be clamped down and dry from the
opressions of the era, but was pleasantly surprised that they have the
same poetic drives as poets anywhere.
Vladimir Lugovskoy... you don't happen to be familiar with him -
perhaps give a whirl at translating some of his work? Actually, I had
a link to many of his poems in Russian, which a firend named Jerry
Kraus found for me, and actually translated one of them... I'll find
that and post the link here for you, if possible.
--
Corning Town by Will Dockery & Brian

Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

Hello Will,

I don't remember reading anything by Lugovskoy, although a long time
ago on r.a.p. there was a poet named Marek Lugrowski. Sure, put it up,
I'll see if it's worth translating any of his work. I'm much busier
than I used to be, now that I have a family to take care of, but I
still can make time for workable projects.

You are right, there were good poets in the Soviet Union. I'm sure
you've heard of Vladimir Vysotsky, if you haven't listened to his
songs I would very much recommend getting a copy. Even if you don't
understand Russian original, they are still very powerful.

What I find funny, now that I'm in Australia, is that people here
think that Yevtushenko was Russia's greatest poet, because he visited
Australia (Americans thought the same about Anna Akhmatova). Russians,
for themselves, think that Pushkin was the greatest poet in history.
Have you heard of him?

Ilya.

Karla

2010-02-07 07:44:16 UTC

On Sat, 6 Feb 2010 23:38:06 -0800 (PST), Ilya Shambat

Hello Will,
I don't remember reading anything by Lugovskoy, although a long time
ago on r.a.p. there was a poet named Marek Lugrowski. Sure, put it up,
I'll see if it's worth translating any of his work. I'm much busier
than I used to be, now that I have a family to take care of, but I
still can make time for workable projects.
You are right, there were good poets in the Soviet Union. I'm sure
you've heard of Vladimir Vysotsky, if you haven't listened to his
songs I would very much recommend getting a copy. Even if you don't
understand Russian original, they are still very powerful.
What I find funny, now that I'm in Australia, is that people here
think that Yevtushenko was Russia's greatest poet, because he visited
Australia (Americans thought the same about Anna Akhmatova). Russians,
for themselves, think that Pushkin was the greatest poet in history.
Have you heard of him?
Ilya.

I've heard that, and I've read translations of Pushkin. Why do you think
Russians consider him the greatest poet in history? I'm assuming it
resonates with the Russian experience, and not just his craft. I'm truly
insterested.

Karla

Will Dockery

2010-02-07 20:47:33 UTC

http://youtu.be/Njes_L9ZDgQ

Post by Ilya Shambat
Hello Will,
I don't remember reading anything by Lugovskoy, although a long time
ago on r.a.p. there was a poet named Marek Lugrowski. Sure, put it up,
I'll see if it's worth translating any of his work. I'm much busier
than I used to be, now that I have a family to take care of, but I
still can make time for workable projects.
You are right, there were good poets in the Soviet Union. I'm sure
you've heard of Vladimir Vysotsky, if you haven't listened to his
songs I would very much recommend getting a copy. Even if you don't
understand Russian original, they are still very powerful.
What I find funny, now that I'm in Australia, is that people here
think that Yevtushenko was Russia's greatest poet, because he visited
Australia (Americans thought the same about Anna Akhmatova). Russians,
for themselves, think that Pushkin was the greatest poet in history.
Have you heard of him?

The greatest poet in history? Not just Russian history?

That's an amazing claim...

--
"Red Lipped Stranger & other stories" by Will Dockery:
http://www.myspace.com/willdockery

Ilya Shambat

2010-02-11 11:55:05 UTC

http://youtu.be/Njes_L9ZDgQ

The greatest poet in history? Not just Russian history?
That's an amazing claim...

Well, they also have high view of Homer and Shakespeare and a number
of others, but since they get neither in native tongue they don't get
from them the same feeling that they do from Russian poets. What's
special about Russian poetry is its musicality, which is not as
present in English or Chinese or German poetry, and that makes it very
touching and powerful. When I translate Russian poetry my first goal
is to convey the feeling, which is the most important part of the
Russian poem's appeal. A Russian professor at Georgetown once said
that my translations were "too Russian" - that is because they were
meant to be. With Homer, Shakespeare, etc., we don't get that effect
as much, especially in Russian translation. But if you're a Russian
speaker, you get the feeling of the poem, which is in many ways more
important for conveying it than its words. I know an American
gentleman who worked in Russian translation, and he used to read out
loud Russian poetry while on the treadmill. At any rate, with Russian
poetry, there is an intense musicality that conveys more than do
words, and Pushkin was probably the best at that of all Russian poets.

Will Dockery

2010-02-11 21:33:40 UTC

http://youtu.be/Njes_L9ZDgQ

The greatest poet in history? Not just Russian history?
That's an amazing claim...

Thanks for the info, Ilya.

--
She Sleeps Tight / Will Dockery (video):

Will Dockery

2010-02-07 08:28:05 UTC

quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

Here's what Jerry Kraus sent me:

http://www.peoples.ru/art/literature/poetry/newtime/vladimir_lugovskoy/poetry.shtml

"...Here are 49 of his poems in Russian, Will. Sure, I'm sure I'll
find
one or two worth translating. I'll probably do them in French,
Spanish and German, too, despite the wishes of our local Ecuadorian
nut! Believe it or not, I get fan mail from Spanish ladies about my
Spanish translations! Well, as they say, only the stupid and ignorant
can do nothing but criticize..." -JK

Long ago, you left the light by Vladimir Lugovskoy

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.poems/msg/baabeb6e33d7d625?hl=en

Translated by Jerome Raymond Kraus (2008)
© Copyright Jerome Raymond Kraus (2008)

It is 3:30am here, so I need to sleep... so I'll finish answering your

Post by Ilya Shambat
You are right, there were good poets in the Soviet Union. I'm sure
you've heard of Vladimir Vysotsky, if you haven't listened to his
songs I would very much recommend getting a copy. Even if you don't
understand Russian original, they are still very powerful.
What I find funny, now that I'm in Australia, is that people here
think that Yevtushenko was Russia's greatest poet, because he visited
Australia (Americans thought the same about Anna Akhmatova). Russians,
for themselves, think that Pushkin was the greatest poet in history.
Have you heard of him?
Ilya.

--
Corning Town by Will Dockery & Brian Mallard:
http://youtu.be/Njes_L9ZDgQ

Will Dockery

2010-02-07 17:41:42 UTC

Yes, I was introduced to Vysotsky's poetry & music a few years ago,
back before YouTube & all that made his work more widely known over
here, yes, great stuff:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/GreatestBard/?yguid=7856739

"...A bard sings his poetry accompanied by a simple instrument.
Combine into one person the American bards Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs,
Leonard Cohen, Tom Paxton, and others. Add the mass popularity of
Elvis Presley and the Beatles. This will give you something
approaching Vladimir Vysotsky. His creative career spanned the 60s and
70s. A few of his songs were released on official recordings. The many
albums released after his death in July 1980 were compiled from
numerous private recordings. No books containing his work were
published during his life. Many began appearing after his death,
including a definitive 8-volume collection published in Germany in
1994. He wrote more than 700 songs.Those who wish to know and better
understand the soul of Russia are invited..."

Post by Ilya Shambat
What I find funny, now that I'm in Australia, is that people here
think that Yevtushenko was Russia's greatest poet, because he visited
Australia (Americans thought the same about Anna Akhmatova). Russians,
for themselves, think that Pushkin was the greatest poet in history.
Have you heard of him?

I've /heard/ of Pushkin, but really know very little about him or his
work... would like to, though, so will do some homework.

--
Dream Tears by Will Dockery & The Shadowville All-Stars:

Arindam Banerjee

2010-02-11 22:29:57 UTC