OLGA LEVADNAYA

 

OLGA LEVADNAYA

 

Song Of The Drain-Pipe

 

Like the stilled day

the pipe fell asleep on the breast of the building.

The sacrificial pipe’s love

stretched from roof to pavement.

 

Nothing was left

to need to endure.

Life inhaled

the cold breath of indifference.

 

Then in the dark, tired from the humdrum day,

the rain crept in smelling of snow.

The impossibility of happiness resulted

in the singing of the drain-pipe.

 

 

The Sharp Edge Of Night

 

 The doors of doorways are silent

 like old gypsy women

 who’ve forgotten how to tell

 fortunes.

 

Triumphal shadows

tear the necklaces

of silver streetlamps

of the streets that are falling asleep.

 

In the viscous darkness of worries

my piercing window

and eyes are full of the breath

of sticky leaves.

 

Only there, ahead

over the sleeping Kazan river,

a very young crescent moon

is on the sharp edge of night.

 

  

Memories Grow Out Of The Cries Of Birds

 

I love white-faced Kazan,

whose feet

are washed by life-giving waters,

a Kremlin kissed by snow

still fragrant with autumn foliage

and the proliferation of the squares

like passionate farewells,

and the freckled houses

under the manes of silver poplars,

and the devout luminescence

of city streetlamps,

and people

grandly carrying their past

and the cries of birds

from which grow –

our memories.

 

 Translation: Richard McCain

 

OLGA LEVADNAYA

 

OLGA LEVADNAYA: Russian poet renowned in the world, she was awarded titles of the Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2008 and laureate of the State prize named after Gavriil Derzhavin in 2007, State prize named after Sajida Suleymanova in 2015. She was nominated for the “International Peace Award”. Olga is a member of the Writers Union of the Republic of Tatarstan, Writers Union of the Russian Federation and International Writers Union. She is the Art Director of the Kazan poetic theatre "Dialogue". Olga Levadnaya has written books: "My Life is Waiting for Snow" (1992), "Passing the Enchanted Circle "(1998), "Falling up Free" (2003), "Close to our Past" (2003), "Climbing the Ladder of Thoughts" (2005), "From the Cry of Birds Memories Grow" (2005), "Star gate" (2010), "Wind of the Heart " (2014). In 2020, book "Vocal works on poems by Olga Levadnaya" 6was published, selected works in two volumes (2021). O. Levadnaya is the organizer of the Russian music and poetry festivals "Handshake of the Republics" (2017-2021)