Songs

Kritiku, 'To the critic'

by Dmitri Shostakovich From Satirï, 'Satires' (1960) Op. 109

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Text & Translation

Kritiku, 'To the critic'
Russian source: Sasha Chorny

Kodga poet, opisyvaya damu, nachnyot:
“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

When a poet, describing a lady, begins:
“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.

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