This journal is mostly public because most of it contains poetry, quotations, pictures, jokes, videos, and news (medical and otherwise). If you like what you see, you are welcome to drop by, anytime. I update frequently.

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Posts Tagged: 'bulat+okudjava'

Sep. 25th, 2024

med_cat: (Hourglass)
med_cat: (Hourglass)

"The Roman Empire During the Time of Its Decline", by Bulat Okudjava

med_cat: (Hourglass)


A 1987 concert in Germany.

Lyrics and translation:

Римская империя времени упадка
сохраняла видимость твердого порядка:
Цезарь был на месте, соратники рядом,
жизнь была прекрасна, судя по докладам.
А критики скажут, что слово "соратник" - не римская деталь,
что эта ошибка всю песенку смысла лишает...
Может быть, может быть, может и не римская - не жаль,
мне это совсем не мешает, а даже меня возвышает.

The Roman Empire during the time of its decline
Preserved the appearance of firm order:
The caesar was in his place, his comrades near him,
And life was wonderful, according to reports.
But the critics will say that the word "comrades" is not a Roman detail,
That this mistake deprives this entire little song of its meaning...
Maybe, maybe, maybe it's not Roman--I'm not sorry about it,
It doesn't interfere with what I have in mind; on the contrary, it elevates me.Read more... )

Sep. 21st, 2024

med_cat: (Default)
med_cat: (Default)

"I am writing a historical novel"

med_cat: (Default)

(reposting from 2015)

"...Однажды один московский критический журнал попросил нескольких литераторов написать о том, для чего мы пишем и почему мы пишем. Так как я не умею писать статьи и не очень люблю анализировать себя самого, я отказался. Остальные написали очень серьезные исследования собственного творчества. А я написал стихотворение и послал в журнал. Его тогда не напечатали, но зато потом получилась песня..."

(Б.Окуджава)

"...One time, a Moscow literary analysis journal asked several writers to write about the purpose for which we write and why we write. Because I can't write articles and don't particularly like analysing myself, I declined. Others wrote very serious analyses of their own creative process. And I wrote a poem and sent it to the journal. The poem wasn't printed at the time, but later, it became a song..."
(B. Okudjava)




Lyrics and translation:

В склянке темного стекла
Из-под импортного пива
Роза красная цвела
Гордо и неторопливо.

In a vessel made of dark glass
Which was an empty bottle of imported beer
A red rose bloomed
Proudly and unhurriedly.

Исторический роман
   Сочинял я понемногу,
   Пробиваясь, как в туман,
   От пролога к эпилогу.

I was slowly composing
A historical novel,
Forcing my way, as if through a fog,
From a prologue to the epilogue.
 
Read more... )

Oct. 30th, 2023

med_cat: (Default)
med_cat: (Default)

Когда воротимся мы в Портленд / When we return to Portland

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Sep. 7th, 2017

med_cat: (cat in dress)
med_cat: (cat in dress)

Two songs by Bulat Okudjava, sung by Edward Khil

med_cat: (cat in dress)
"The Tincture of the Danish King":


Translation of lyrics: )

"Your Excellency, Mistress Luck":


Translation of lyrics: )

Apr. 24th, 2015

med_cat: (cat in dress)
med_cat: (cat in dress)

Я пишу исторический роман/ I am writing a historical novel

med_cat: (cat in dress)

"...Однажды один московский критический журнал попросил нескольких литераторов написать о том, для чего мы пишем и почему мы пишем. Так как я не умею писать статьи и не очень люблю анализировать себя самого, я отказался. Остальные написали очень серьезные исследования собственного творчества. А я написал стихотворение и послал в журнал. Его тогда не напечатали, но зато потом получилась песня..."

(Б.Окуджава)

"...One time, a Moscow literary analysis journal asked several writers to write about the purpose for which we write and why we write. Because I can't write articles and don't particularly like analysing myself, I declined. Others wrote very serious analyses of their own creative process. And I wrote a poem and sent it to the journal. The poem wasn't printed at the time, but later, it became a song..."
(B. Okudjava)

В склянке темного стекла
Из-под импортного пива
Роза красная цвела
Гордо и неторопливо.

In a vessel made of dark glass
Which was an empty bottle of imported beer
A red rose bloomed
Proudly and unhurriedly.

Исторический роман
   Сочинял я понемногу,
   Пробиваясь, как в туман,
   От пролога к эпилогу.

I was slowly composing
A historical novel,
Forcing my way, as if through a fog,
From a prologue to the epilogue.

Read more... )