Selected Poems

by Sergei Yesenin, Jessie Davies (Translator)

These translations have the Russian language originals on facing pages.

Genres: Poetry, Russia

169 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1979

About the author

Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin [Сергей Александрович Есенин], 1895-1925, sometimes spelled as Esenin, was a Russian lyric poet. He is one of the most popular and well-known Russian poets of the 20th century, known for "his lyrical evocations of and nostalgia for the village life of his childhood - no idyll, presented in all its rawness, with an implied curse on urbanisation and industrialisation."

Born of peasant parents, he received very little formal education, and although he later traveled quite extensively it was the pre-revolution countryside of his youth that served as inspiration for most of his poetry. Yesenin initially supported the Bolshevik revolution, thinking that it would prove beneficial to the peasant class, but he became disenchanted when he saw that it would lead only to the industrialization of Russia. A longing for a return to the simplicity of the peasant lifestyle characterizes his work, as does his innovative use of images drawn from village lore. He is credited with helping to establish the Imaginist movement in Russian literature.

Yesenin led an erratic, unconventional life that was punctuated by bouts of drunkenness and insanity. Before hanging himself in a Leningrad hotel, Yesenin slit his wrists, and, using his own blood, wrote a farewell poem.

Associated Names:
Сергей Есенин (Russian)
Sergej Jessenin (German)

Reviews

[Magdalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It appears, my life is fated to torment;
My way is dammed up grief and distress
My life has been severed from fun and enjoyment,
Vexation and wounds are afflicting my chest

It seems I'm fated to suffer from pain
All I have in this life are bad luck and misfortune
I have suffered enough in this life and again
Both my body and my soul have been put to the torture



Leaves are falling here and yonder
and the wind is
drawling and low
Who will gladden my heart I wonder?
Who will soothe it, my friend, do you know?

[Jamila Huseynova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not fan of a poetry, but I do love Yesenin's works. For me he is the best. His poems are very emotional and deep. The poem "A letter to a woman" made me cry.

[Sofya Mamedova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atılsam da, sıxıntı keçirsəm də yenə mən
Dodağımda təbəssüm baxıram dan yerinə.
Mənə yaxın, sevimli olduğuyçun ürəkdən
Yer üstdəki həyata minnətdaram yenə mən.
❤

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Наивна, глупава тъга.
Тук всички сме случайни гости.
Виж, като в гробище сега
брезите светят с бели кости.
***
White is the sweatshirt, and red is the sash,
I'm picking the poppies beginning to flush.
Her heart, like a poppy, is blooming along.
It isnt for me that she's singing the song.
***
Sing, old man! In the fateful sphere
Of these hands is a fated end.
Tell them all to f... out of here.
I will never be dead, my friend.

Пей ти, пей си! Съдбовна примамка
впи в ръцете съдбовни беди.
Само, знаеш ли… Тяхната мамка…
Жив съм, друже. Ще бъда! Бъди!

Пей, запей! Съдбата разпръсва
с тези ръце фаталния взрив.
Всички, знаеш, отиват към кръста...
Само аз ще съм винаги жив.
***
Бяла зима без край и предел!
И кръвта ми е стоплил студът!
Как разнежено бих се привел
на брезите към голата гръд.

О, покой на горите смълчан!
О, залутана в сняг веселба!
Как бих спуснал разнежено длан
по бедрата на всяка върба.
***
И пак ще дойда в бащин дом
тъгата с радост да примеся,
в зелена вечер мълчешком
с ръкава си ще се обеся.
***
За слънцето не пееш ти,
не виждаш рая в небесата.
Тъй маха мелница крилата,
но без да може да лети.

[Ivona Svetaljski · Rating 5 out of 5]

" Biste li mi recitirali, ako niste umorni? "
" Mene stihovi ne umaraju! "

[Ahmad · Rating 3 out of 5]

مرة تعوي الرياح
في القفار الموحشه
مرة كالدغل ينهمر
موغلا وقع الكحول .
من قصيدة الشبح الأسود

[✦ Viola ✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 stars.

I don't have this exact copy, mine is translated by Peter Tempest, printed in 1982. I found it for 30 cents in a random bin at the thrift store and picked it up.

Overall, I really enjoy Sergei's voice when reading his poetry. His way of using imagery is absolutely wonderful and I can't wait to devour these words over and over again, picking them apart and learning to analyse them properly.

His work (despite being translated) is quite easy for me to comprehend and I can pick out repeating motifs and see the potential to analyse if there's anything deeper not blatantly stated in your face.

However, do note that I haven't yet read the longer pieces in this book, but I figured I should write a review anyway as this opinion is now fresh in my mind and poetry books don't need to be read from cover to cover, word for word, to be considered read, in my opinion.

[Ermina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prva lekcija o poeziji. Kako napisati pjesmu.