Text & Translation
Kritiku, 'To the critic'
Russian source:
Sasha Chorny
“Ya shla po ulitse. V boka vpilsya korset,” –
Zdes “ya” ne ponimai, konechno, pryamo –
Chto, mol, pod damayu skryvayetsya poet.
Ya istinu tebe po-druzheski otroyu:
Poet – muzhchina i dazhe s borodoyu.
To the Critic
English translation ©
Philip Ross Bullock
“I was walking down the street, my corset poking me in the ribs,” –
There’s no need to understand the “I” literally, of course –
That’s to say – behind the lady the poet is concealed.
Let me tell you the truth, as a friend:
The poet is a man – and he even has a beard.
Kritiku, 'To the critic'
Russian source:
Sasha Chorny
To the Critic
English source:
Philip Ross Bullock
Kodga poet, opisyvaya damu, nachnyot:
When a poet, describing a lady, begins:
“Ya shla po ulitse. V boka vpilsya korset,” –
“I was walking down the street, my corset poking me in the ribs,” –
Zdes “ya” ne ponimai, konechno, pryamo –
There’s no need to understand the “I” literally, of course –
Chto, mol, pod damayu skryvayetsya poet.
That’s to say – behind the lady the poet is concealed.
Ya istinu tebe po-druzheski otroyu:
Let me tell you the truth, as a friend:
Poet – muzhchina i dazhe s borodoyu.
The poet is a man – and he even has a beard.
Composer
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist. He achieved fame in the Soviet Union, although later developed a more complex and difficult relationship with the government. As a composer, he combined a variety of different musical…
Poet
Sasha Chorny
Alexander Mikhailovich Glikberg (better known as Sasha Chorny 13 October 1880 – 5 July 1932), was a Russian poet, satirist and children's writer.
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 68. Mastercourse Day Five 28 Oct 2022
- 64. Mastercourse Day Four 27 Oct 2022
- 58. Mastercourse Day Three 26 Oct 2022
- 54. Mastercourse Day Two 25 Oct 2022
- 50. Mastercourse Day One 24 Oct 2022
- 11. Cold War, Warm Hearts - Isaiah Berlin: Between Russia and Oxford 16 Oct 2022