Mayakovsky: Selected Verse (Volume 1)

307 Pages·1985·10.7 MB·english

by  Vladimir Mayakovsky

Selected Verse
Vladimir
()
Selected Works
in Three Raduga
Volumes Publishers
V. MAYAKOVSKY

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DesigbnyeV dit coCrh istyakov
B.M a.SIKOBCKHit
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Printientd h Uen ioonf SovietR eSpoubcliiaclsi st
M 47020102-0107051 _385
03105()8-5
ISBN- 055-0007013-
ISNB 5-05-108-010 0
CONTENTS VladimMiary akovskPyo,e to fa NewW orld. ......... 7
IM YSELF ............................... 2.9
5
POETRY
Nigh.t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Morning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FromS treteotS tree.t . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 .7 . . . . . . . . . .
WhatA boutY ou? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 8. . . . . . . . . . . .
I . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... .. .. . . . . . . . . . . .4 . 8. . . . . . . . .
GreaBti gH elolf a C it.y . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1 . . . . . . . . . .
How d'YeL ikeT his?. . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .5. 2 . . . . . . .
Listen.! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AndY et... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
War'Dse clar.e .d . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TheV iolinL-iat tBlietN ervou.s . . . . . .. .. .. .. 5..4 . .
You!. .............. ·.. . . . . . . . . . .5 5. . . . . . . . .
TheW ayI B ecamae Dog. . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .5. 6 . . . . . .
An Odet oJ udge.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 .7 . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Alla ndE verythi.ng . . . . . . . . . . . .5 .8 . . . . . . . . . . .
LilDye ar!I nL ieuo fa L ette.r . . . . . . . . . .6 1. . . . . . . .
FedU p......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 3. . . . . . . . . . . .
TheC heapS ale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To HisO wn BeloveSde ltfh eA uthoDre dicatTehse sLei nes 66
Revoluti(oAPn oetC'hsr onicl.e ). . . . . . . . .6 7. . . . . . . .
To Answer· !. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
OurM arch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CloudUsp toT rick.s . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 .4 . . . . . . . . . . .
Humanet oH orse.s . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .7. 5. . . . . . . . .
Ordeorf t heD ayt ot heA rmyo fA rts. . . . . . .7 6 . . . . . . .
LefMta rch( ForS ailor.s..). .. · ............. , . .7 .7
Odet ot heR evolut.i .o n. . . . . . . . . . . .7 8. . . . . . . . . . .
An AmazinAgd ventuorfeV ladimMiary akovsk.y . . . .7 9. .
Rot. . . . . ... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 .2 . . . . . . . . . . .
OrdeNro . 2 tot heA rmyo fA rt.s . . . . . . . . . 8. 3. . . . . . .
Conference-C.r .az .y . . . . . . . . . . . .8 .5 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pari(sC hattwiintgh t heE iffTeolw er). . . . . . . . .8 7. . . . .
We Don'Bte liev.e .! . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 0. . . . . . . . . . . .
TheP robleomf S prin.g .:. ., . . . . . . . . . 9.1 . . . . . . . . .
UniverRseapll y.. .... , . . . . . . . . . . .. 9.3 . . . . . . . . . .
Vorovsk.y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Don'Yto urS houldBelra deIst ch.? . . . . . . . . .9 . 5 . . . . . .
Nordeme.e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
KomsomoSlo ng. . . . . . . . . . ·.. . .. .. . .. .. . . 1.0 0. . . .
Jubilee P.o.e.m. ..............,. ... . . . 1.0 .4 . . .
Vladikavkaz.-.T.i.fl.i.s. ., . . . . . . . . .1 .1 1. . . . . . . . .
Tamara atnhdeD emon. ............. , . . . . 1.1 .5 . . .
FromP oemDse votetdoP aris
TheC it.y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
V erlaiannedC �zann.e . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 1. . . . . . . . . . ,
Versail.l.e.s. ................. ........ , . .1 2.6
Farewe(lalat c afe. ). . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 9. . . . . . . . . . . .
LasFta rewe.l .l . . . . . . . . . . .... .. .. ..1 .3.2 .. . . . . . .
FromP oemAsb ouAtm erica
AtlantOicce a.n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SomeS hallowPh ilosophOyv ert heD eep.s . . . . . . 1.3 6. . . .
Blacakn dW hit.e . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 .3 8. . . . . . . . . . . . .
CONTENTS ContagiouCsa rgo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1. 4.0 . . . . . . . . . .
Topicfsr omt heT ropic(se nr outfe romV eraC ruzt o
6 MexicCoi ty.). ............................ 1. 45
Mexico. ..........·. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 1. 4. 6
Broadwa.y. ............................. .1.5 2
A SkyscraDpiesrs ect.e d. . . . . . . . . . . .. 1.5 .4 . . . . . . . .
A DecenCti tize.n. ......................... .1 56
A Challen.g e. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 5.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BrooklyBnri dge. . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . .1 6. 1. . . . . . .
Home! ................................. .1.6 4
To SergEesie ni.n . . .. . . . . . . . .. . .. .. .. .. ..1 .6. 7 . .
To BritiWsohr ker.s. ........................ .1 71
Talkiwnigt ht heT axmanA boutP oetry. ............ 173
Bribe-Tak.e.r.s. .......................... 1. 79
A MessagteoP roletaPrioaent s. . . . .. .. . . . . .. ... .1 8.3
A FactoroyfB ureaucr.a.t.s. .................. .1 87
To ComradNee tte-SteaamnedrM an. .............. 191
PaperwoHrakb it.s. ......................... .1 92
TheH oolig.a n. . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . .1 9. 5. . . . . .
A Chati nO dessHaa rbouBre tweesn. sS.o viDeatg hestan
andR edA bkhazi.a. ...................... .1.9.8
PapeHro rror(se xperienbcyeV dl adimMiary akovsk.y.). . 199
To OurY oungG enerati.o.n. .................. .2 01
My BesPto em ............................ ..2 05
NothingN ew .............................. 2. 07
"Beyontdh eG rasopf t heM asses.". ............... 207
Yekaterinburg-Sv.e.r.d.l.o.v.s.k. ............. .2 10
How FoundrymaInv aKno zyreMvo vedi ntHoi sN ew Flat 2.1 2
Office-Bu.g s. . . .. .. . . . . . . . .. .. . .. . ... . .. 2. 1.5 .
TheC oward. ............................. .2.1 7
LinesN ot on Bigb utP ettyT rashL.e tB arb-Tongued
RhymesT hiSs peciLeass h. .................... .2 20
Crimea. ................................ .2.2 2
Youth'Sse cre.t. ........................... .2 24
TheP illa.r. ............................. .2.2 6
TheT oady .............................. .2.2 7
TheG ossip. ............................... 229
TasteMsa yD iffe.r . .. . . . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. .. . . .2 3.1
A Lettefrr omP aritso C omradeK ostroovn theE ssence
andM eaninogf L ove. . . . . .. .. . ... . . . .. .. .. .. .. 2 32
A LettetroT atyana Y ako.v.l.e.v.a. ............ 2.3 6
ConversatwiiotnhC omradLee nin. ................ 238
Two Competitio.n.s. ....................... .2 40
All'Qsu ieitn t heW est. ....................... ..2 42
My SoviePta sspo.r t. . . . . . ., . .. ... .. ... . ... .. .. 244
AmericainnsA mazemen.t . . . . . . . . . . . .2 .4 7. . . . . . . . .
HappyM e! .............................. .2.4 8
We ....................................2.5 0.
A Storoyf K uznetskstarnodIy t Bsu ilde.r s.. . . .. .. .. . 251
Loverosf H ardship.s. . . . . . . . .. ... . · · .. . . .. .. . 2.5 3
Lenini.t.e.s. ............................ .2.5 5
Poemfso rC hildren
WhatI sG ooda ndW hatI sB ad ................... 258
Meett heB east.s . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . .. ... . .. ... . .2 60
WhatS hallI B e? ........................... .2.6 2
Unfinish.e.d. .......................... 2.6.8.
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 9.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VLADIMIRM AYAKOVSKYP,O ETO F A NEWW ORLD*
Mayakovswkyq'rsk waa psh enomenoofnt remendmoaugsn i­
tudew,i tfha r-reaecfhfienocgnt ts h ee ntidreev elopmoefan rtt is­
ticcu ltuirnte h et wenticeetnht uTrhye.h eritoafgt eh iosu tstand­
ingm asteorf s ociaalristit n cludleysr ivce rsaen ds atilroen,g
poemasn dp laypsr,o sees saaynsd c ritiacratli caldevse,r tisement
rhymeasn dd rawinAgnsd.y ett het rugree atneosfMs a yakovsky
lienso ti nt hes copoef h icsr eatinvoirti ynh, i esq uafla miliarity
witht hes ecreotfts h ep oetcirca fatn dt hel awosf t hes tage,
nori nh isd eftnweiststh h ee ssayipsetna' nsd t hea rtispta'isn t­
brusFhi.r satn df oremohsetw ,a sa poeta,n da ss uccha met o
staiynt hem indasn dh earotfsm illions.
On manyo ccasioMnaysa,k ovshkaysb eenc allae "dp oet-tri­
bune"w,h ictho,s ayt hel easitss, u fficiejnutsltyi fHiiespd o.e try,
dealinwgi thm anym ajoerv enatnsd p robleomfsh isd ayg,a ve
powerfvuoli cteo t hen ewe pocthh asta wt hep reparaatnido n
accomplishmoefnt th ep roletarian rTehveot lruutleiypo inc.
sweeopf h isp oetsiicm iltehsea, u dacinoouvse lotfyh isme ta­
phorst,h ea stonisfhoirncgae n dw eighotfh isp oetrihc ythms
combinienh isw orkw itthh ep assioofna publictihsrto,b bing
inspiraatnidoa nu thenptaitch oAsn. o utstandcihnagr acteristic
ofM ayakovskpyo'est riysi tcsi viocu tspokenneistsvs-e bryy
naturieta, p peatloms a sasu diences.
Int hep oemA louda ndS tragihtt,oa considerable extent the
sumt otoaflh iesn tilriefa en dw orkM,a yakovsckayl lheidm self
"ana gitatborra,z en-mourtihnegd- leafdrearn"k,al dym itting:
"I'mu naccustotmoce adr etshsee arw itwho rdsB"u.t a lthough
thipso etaicck nowledghmaesin ttss h aroeft rutthh,eg amuotf
hisv erscea nnobte r educteodm erelayg itator-and-orator-type
intonatiiotan lssa;ob ounidnst hei ntimtaotnee osfl ove-confes­
siontsr,a gnieca r-shreixepkrse,s soifos nasd nessosr,r oaws,w ell
asc austiirco nayn dg ood-nathuurmeodu Irn.o thewro rdMsa,y a­
kovskyp'ose triysn oto nlym ultifogremn ericbaultsl yh,o was
wealotfhc oloiunri thsa rmoniinct,o natcioomnpaols ition.
Butr egardolfet shsef orma doptbeyd M ayakovskpyo'est ic
reasonitnhgel, y riecl emeinstd eterminiatnhi ivswe o rkT.h is
qualiotfyM ayakovskyt'asl ewnatsm ostp reciseexlpyr esbsye d
AnatoLluyn acharas pkryo,m ineSnotv iet pfuibgluibrcre i,l liant
essayainsdtli teracrryi tOinc h.e ariMnagy akovsky'rse ciotfa l
thep oemI ti nw inte1r9 23h,e r emarke"dIk: n ewi tb efobruet
*English trantsoldaatIyih oanvb ee comfei naclloyn vincVeodl:o dyiasa l yric ap oet,
© mosstu btllyer pioce ta,l thouegvheh ne h imsedlofe sna'ltw auyns­
RaduPguab lis1h98e5r sd erstiatnA.d t ribuangei,t aatnodar t t hes ameti mae lyproiect ."
FOREWORD Inl yrpioce trtyh eo bjectwiovrel idsr eflectmeadi nltyh rough
thea uthoerm'ost iotnhse:e venatnsd p henomeonfal ifues ually
8
appeahre raes i mprinotfts h eseev entasss, p irirteusaplo ntsoe s
thema rousientd h ea uthor.
Thisf ullrye fetrosM ayakovskwyo'rsk sW.h atevtehre ya re
devotetdo -clabsast tltersa,v ealbsr oaodr d ebatoensa rt-the
poeta'tst ittuode ev enatnsd f acutrsg ihimng tot akuep t hep en
ise xpreswsietdsh u cehm otiofnoarlca en dp assitohna,tt h ep oet­
ics tructaucrqeu iirneism itaubnlieq,uf ee aturAens a.c couonft
diverpshee nomenal iofifes c ombiniends uch wowriktsah n
expressoifto hnep oeto'wsn t houghatnsdf eeliwnigtsth,h ed is­
clos·uorhfei isn newro rltdh,ea utho"rI'"s.
"Myt imaen d myselfM'a-yaskoo kvys definetdh es ubjeocft
thep oemA louda ndS trgah.itT hesweo rdcso ulbdet hee pigraph
toM ayakovskeyn'tsip roee toiuct pustoe, xactdloyt hecyo nvey
then atuorfeh ivse rsceo,m binienpgib cr eadthl yarnpidec n etra­
tion.
Howevepra radoxiitcm aaly s oundi,nh isp oemasn dp ublic
appearanMcaeysa kovsmkayd ef requeanttt acakgsa,i nlsytr ic
poetr"yL.y rihcasv hea df romu sm anya b atterihnewg r,o"t ien
his" JubiPloeeem "E.s peciaaclilwdye rehi sr emarakbso ulto ve­
vers"eRh.y mest ow hosseo unfdo lkfse lilnl oveh"ec ontratsot s
"linteosw hosteh under DenikinO rfyloeldH" i.sfp raosms ionate
invectiovfce osu,r scea,n nobtes eeans a negatioofln y ricaiss m
suchI.nt hes am"e 'JubPioleeme"t hep oecto nfessed:
Bupt oetr'ys
ad amsnut bobrnt ihng:
i'tst here
adni ct a'nbt ed esotrye-dthats' faac t.
Mayakovskcyr'ist ivciaelwo fc ertafionr mosf l yripco etry
stemmefdr omd ifferseonutr cpersi,m arfirloym,t hea wareness
thatth el imiotfs" oldl"y rpioce trwyi tiht tsr adititohneamle s
ofl ovaen dn aturwei,t phh ilosompuhs iicn gosv elri fwee,r fea r
toon arrofwo rt hee normoucsolmyp licawtoerdlo df t het wen­
tietche nturTyh.ee motioneaxlp erieonfcc eo ntempormaarny,
hipse rsolniaflwe e rceo nnecttherdo unguhm berltehsrse awdist h
majohri stohraipcp eniMnagysa.k ovsky's oant ltyarcivkces r se
likeweixsper eshsiepsdr oteasgta intshtes ubjecatnidvs ep iritless
in poetrayg,a inthseta poloogfyd ecademnoto dsa,n dm anners,
whicthh eiarp ologjiussttsi fbiye tdh ei nherernitg hotfp oets
tos elf-expression.
Mayakovsfkeylt th en eedt oe xtentdh eb oundaroifel sy ric
poetrwyh,i ccho mpliweidt hth eo bjectdievmea ndosfh itsi me
andh iso wni nnebru ild-Iunpd.e epdo,e trayst he" universal sen­
soro"f t hee poccho ulndo tf aitlor egisttheenr e wt rendnso,rt o
takien taoc coutnhte f actth aitn t het wenticeetnht utrhyei n­
fluencoefh istoirnty h el argseern soefm, a josro ciparlo cesosne s
thed estinoifse esp ariantdei vidounat lhsep, r ivaltiefo efp eople,
hadi mmeasurianbclrye ased.
FOREWORD Mayakovskbye camteh ec reatoofrp oetroyf a new type,
whicehn compaspsoeldi taincda l sorceiaalilat syn evebre forIen.
9
Mayakovslkyyr'visec r shei,s toproyl,i tliocvsae,n dp rivaltief e­
allf eatunroeta sa remotbea ckgroubnudta, st hema inob jeocft
poetdiecp icttihomena ,i tnh emoef p oetmiecd ittiaons.
Thei mminennetw e pocwho uldde mand mneeawn osf v erbal
expressTihoenf .o reseonfsc eo minsgo ciuaplh eavaanldst he
appearaonfcn ee wf eatuarnedsp ropertiinel si terature was
extremweildye sprienta hdee artlyw enticeetnht uprayr,t icularly
inp ost-revoluyteiaorYnsea.trw yh atp recisweoluylt dh osnee w
meanosf e xpressbieo?Tn h ea nswetrot hiqsu estiwoansi nter­
pretdeidf fereSnotmleyw .r itebresg atno l ookfo ri ta lontgh e
linoefsp redominafnotrlmysa oll utiIonng se.n eralt,w etnhtei es
inS oviet literaturneo dewairttnohfea srsteids "tliecf tism"
whicchl aimteodb ei nnovatbiuvtte h,iw sa sn evedre stinheodw,­
evetro,e xcetehdeb oundosff ormal experiment.
Asr egarMdasy akovshkiyse, x perieinntc hei rse speicset x ­
tremely insTthreup coteimtvo er.et haonn cpe ermithtiemds elf
sharlpo ungaetcs l assic liyteetcro autlnudor tbe y,p aistsls e ssons
inh iso wnp oetiqcuaels tEss.s entisapalekliyn higs,i nnovations
area ne xpressiinno enw c onditioofan sn umbeorf m ajofre a­
turehsi storiecvaolllvbyey Rd u ssipaone trsyu,c hi,np articausl ar,
itasc utien terteoswta rtdhsek eys ociaanlds piriitsu�auloe fis t s
timem,i litcainvtsi pci riimtp,a ssiopnuebdl icTihsemh .e ritoafg e
manyR ussipaone tasn dp rose-ewrrsi-tPushLkeirnm,o ntDoevr,­
zhaviNne,k rasov, GoBgloolDk,o, s toyevsky-ewcahso eadn dr e­
viveidn c onverftoerdm i nM ayakov'ssk wyorkM.a yakovsky's
innovatainodnh si scr eavteii nterrelatiwoinths hitlpheseg acy
ofR ussicalna ss(ivcesr y diffreergeanrtdbleyyhd i ma tv arious
stagoefsh ise volution-occaesvieonn anlelgya,at rieve eslsye)n ­
tialilnyt erconnected phenomena.
Oneo ft hes alifeenatt uorfeM sa yakovskpyo'est riyst hahte
regarmdasj osro cipahle nomeansai ft hepye rsonaalflfye cted
himt,h ew ritMeary akovsky.
So,i nt hep oemF ineh es peaakbso utth ef usioofnh iosw n
destyi wnitht hed estinoifte hse R evoliuotnt,h e country, the
heroic porfoc creesasta in negw l ife:
Thisi sti me
hummintgua t
asa t elaephgw rire,
My heart
alnoe
wittheh t rtuh,
wholea nsdl oe.
Thish appene-d
witfhgi htse,r
wittheh cuontry enti,r e
int ehd epth
ofm yo wns uol.