One for the Road (2) by Sergei Lavrov

Sergei Lavrov

It takes a thick skinned man to serve as Vladimir Putin’s ambassador to the world for a term, let alone for almost two decades, but it seems Moscow’s most senior foreign official, hailed as “the formidable face” of Putin’s foreign policy has a softer side.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who has headed the ministry since 2004 after spending the decade prior as Russia’s ambassador in the UN, has published a series of beat poems in today’s issue of the Russian arts magazine Russkiy Pioner (Russian Pioneer).

(image credit)

 КАК БУДТО ВЧЕРА (ПОСОШОК-2)

Как будто вчера, это было как будто вчера:
Такси во дворе и крутой посошок вспоминаю…
А шесть этих лет мимолетною искрой костра
Уже промелькнули — быстрее, чем та стременная.
Как будто вчера без рубля начиналась игра,
Взялись покорять город шумный, столичный, надменный.
Как будто вчера — за душой ни кола ни двора,
Как будто вчера — и любовь в первый раз, и измена.
Как будто вчера не чехлили гитар до утра,
Стараясь подняться на вечно высокие ноты.
Как будто вчера козырная поперла игра,
Втянула в другие дела и другие заботы.
Как будто вчера это было на первых плотах,
Когда обрели наконец понимание сути.
Как будто вчера отыскали дорогу впотьмах,
Как будто вчера очутились опять на распутье.
Как будто вчера от добра не искали добра,
Гордились страной, что всегда за спиною стояла.
Как будто вчера всю страну разметали ветра.
Уж нету страны, но вот гордость зачем-то осталась.
Как будто вчера, это было как будто вчера:
Такси у ворот, чемоданы в ремнях сыромятных…
Измерила срок мимолетная искра костра,
И вновь посошок — но уже на дорогу обратно.
Как будто вчера — то веселье, то горечь подряд,
То голод — не тетка, то пьяная сытость по горло.
Дорога вперед — лишь начало дороги назад,
А сколько уже посошков в тех дорогах истерлось.
Как будто вчера жизнь летела сплошной кутерьмой,
А вспомнишь сейчас — и ничто не покажется зряшным.
И нынешний миг — посошок на дорогу домой —
Назавтра останется в памяти нашей вчерашней.

Февраль 1996 года

Reference: Эмигранты — не русское слово.

Google Translate

Like Yesterday (One for the Road-2), by Sergei Lavrov

Like yesterday, it was like it was yesterday:
Taxis in the yard and one for the road steep remember ...
And these six years fleeting spark of fire
Already flashed - faster than the stirrup.
Like yesterday without the ruble game starts,
Undertook to conquer the city of bustling, metropolitan, haughty.
Like yesterday - for the soul neither house nor home,
Like yesterday - and love for the first time, and betrayal.
As if yesterday Covers guitars until the morning,
Trying to climb ever higher notes.
Like yesterday flooded trump game
Sucked into other things and other concerns.
Like yesterday it was on the first rafts,
When finally gained an understanding of nature.
Like yesterday to find my way in the dark,
Like yesterday again found themselves at a crossroads.
Like yesterday from the good were not looking good,
Proud of a country that has always stood behind their backs.
Like yesterday the country swept the wind.
Oh, no country, but pride for some reason remained.
Like yesterday, it was like it was yesterday:
Taxi at the gate, suitcases in rawhide straps ...
By measuring the period of fleeting spark of fire,
And one for the road again - but on the way back.
Like yesterday - something fun, something bitter row,
That hunger - not my aunt, the drunken satiety by the throat.
The road ahead - just the beginning of the road back
And how many of those already in Pososhkov roads Easterly.
As if life yesterday flew continuous commotion,
And remember now - and nothing seems zryashnoe.
And the present moment - one for the road on the way home -
The next day will be remembered by our yesterday's.

February 1996

His sequel to One for the Road, creatively titled One for the Road - 2 was written nearly 10 years later in 1996 and largely consists of the line “as it was yesterday”, repeated no less than 16 times, on every other line.

“As it was yesterday there is no house nor home for the soul, as it was yesterday - both first love and betrayal, as it was yesterday we didn’t put the guitar away until the morning,” goes one Kerouac-esque verse.

The poem also contains other cryptic gems such as “this hunger is no babe of mine, this drunk satiety in my throat, the road ahead - only the start of the road back”.

Reference: Russian Foreign Minister Publishes New York-Inspired Beat Poetry.

The algorithms for Google Translate have much room for improvement, but which, along with the Newsweek article, nevertheless give us a sense for the poetry.  I love hearing about poetry coming out from someone, whom we do not expect to have poetry in him.