Dark Elderberry Branch, Marina Tsvetaeva, Alice James Books, 2012, 52 pp (translated from the Russian by Ilya Kaminsky and Jean Valentine)
This was the third translated book I read in March. The others were The Years and The Ravishing of Lol Stein. I came upon all three by different routes and none were on the list of my self created challenge to read one translated book a month. It appears I have opened a door in my reading life and a flood is coming through. How exciting.
Dark Elderberry Branch is a book of poetry that also includes an afterword about the poet's life by one of the translators. It was the March selection of my Tiny Book Club, suggested by the member who is a poet. We are having a Russian moment, having read Keith Gessen's A Terrible Country prior to this.
The poems in this collection got under my skin, delighted me, and gave me chills. I fell in love with Marina Tsvetaeva as have many others. The book comes with a CD of the poems being read in Russian. Though I do not speak or read Russian, hearing these poems in their original language while reading them in English was completely surreal.
Tsvetaeva (1892-1941) grew up in the last years of Tsarist Russia, lived through the Revolution of 1917 and the early years of the USSR. Those years are also covered in an amazing novel I read about a year and a half ago: The Revolution of Marina M by Janet Fitch. Early in the story the heroine, also named Marina, is about to turn 16 and plans to be a poet. It was in this book that I first read the names of Marina Tsvetaeva and her compatriot Anna Akhmatova. Marina M would to out to the coffeehouses to catch a glimpse of them and hopefully hear their poems. The two wrote poems for each other.
All part of the magic of reading.
How interesting: your last paragraph. I know of Akhmatova but not yet of Tsvetaeva. Great that they are in the novel. I'm curious to read one of Janet Fitch's novels; have your read them all? Glad you told us about Tsvetaeva.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine if you were a poet who didn't like the current regime, you would need friends.
DeleteI have read all three of her novels: White Oleander, Paint It Black and the Revolution of Marina M. I think she is an amazing author. Also, she likes Sylvia Plath-:)
You are an adventurous but also disciplined reader. You seem to read with a plan and purpose in mind. I admire that. And I admire you for taking on the Russian poets, not always an easy assignment but definitely worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteOoh, adventurous but disciplined! I like that you see me that way. I think you may be exactly right. The reward is all the serendipitous things that happen along the way. Last night I finished Shell Game by Sara Paretsky and both Tsvetaeva and Akhmatova are mentioned!!
DeleteI love when books come with extras like CDs and such. Even though it's not English, like you said, I bet it still sounded surreal to hear them.
ReplyDeleteIt so did!
DeleteSo glad you liked this book! Anna Akhmatova is a good poet as well and is famous for her poem, Requiem, about the Russian Purge.
ReplyDeleteI must seek out a collection of Akmatova's poetry.
DeleteWhat were the subjects of her poems?
ReplyDeleteHer country, her city (Moscow), the revolution, love, loss, and friendship.
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