In Memoriam, July 19, 1914
By Anna Akhmatova
Translated by Stephen Edgar
We aged a hundred years and this descended
In just one hour, as at a stroke.
The summer had been brief and now was ended;
The body of the ploughed plains lay in smoke.
The hushed road burst in colors then, a soaring
Lament rose, ringing silver like a bell.
And so I covered up my face, imploring
God to destroy me before battle fell.
And from my memory the shadows vanished
Of songs and passions-burdens I'd not need.
The Almighty bade it be-with all else banished-
A book of portents terrible to read.
Anna Akhmatova is the pen name of Anna Andreyevna Gorenko and was born in Odessa in 1889. Her birthday was yesterday, June 23rd. She died in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) on March 5, 1966. She is considered one of the greatest 20th Century Russian poets.
It is hard for me to visualize this poet's experiences during the invasion of her country by Germany and during the awful years of Joseph Stalin for I was born and lived in a country most of my life that never knew war first hand as she did. I only heard about those years from other people and from books. She had refused to emigrate from her country to the West when others left. She was considered an enemy of the State by Stalin. Many people including herself suffered greatly and her husband, who she divorced, was later executed. Her son was jailed many times.
About three weeks ago, I attended a festival in Seoul in which there were pictures of the Korean War in the 1950's and the occupation of Korea by Japan earlier. People filed past the devastating pictures silently and it had to be hard for them as it affected relatives, fellow Koreans and some of those pictures were horrible. Korea is a country that knows war and continues to be aware of the threat of war especially by irresponsible people in leadership roles.
I can't see how anyone can voluntarily bring war to anyone especially their own people. Reading Akhmatova's poetry especially the above poem brings this incredibility to my mind even more. It is as if some people operate without hearts, without feelings, without a conscience, without love. It happens,as we all know, and especially the people here in this country can wage war without considering the real price of war. I wish it weren't so; but it is. It is up to such poets as Akhmatova to bring the real price of war into a language that at least some of us can understand. Sometimes, that is all that can be done.
By Anna Akhmatova
Translated by Stephen Edgar
We aged a hundred years and this descended
In just one hour, as at a stroke.
The summer had been brief and now was ended;
The body of the ploughed plains lay in smoke.
The hushed road burst in colors then, a soaring
Lament rose, ringing silver like a bell.
And so I covered up my face, imploring
God to destroy me before battle fell.
And from my memory the shadows vanished
Of songs and passions-burdens I'd not need.
The Almighty bade it be-with all else banished-
A book of portents terrible to read.
Anna Akhmatova is the pen name of Anna Andreyevna Gorenko and was born in Odessa in 1889. Her birthday was yesterday, June 23rd. She died in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) on March 5, 1966. She is considered one of the greatest 20th Century Russian poets.
It is hard for me to visualize this poet's experiences during the invasion of her country by Germany and during the awful years of Joseph Stalin for I was born and lived in a country most of my life that never knew war first hand as she did. I only heard about those years from other people and from books. She had refused to emigrate from her country to the West when others left. She was considered an enemy of the State by Stalin. Many people including herself suffered greatly and her husband, who she divorced, was later executed. Her son was jailed many times.
About three weeks ago, I attended a festival in Seoul in which there were pictures of the Korean War in the 1950's and the occupation of Korea by Japan earlier. People filed past the devastating pictures silently and it had to be hard for them as it affected relatives, fellow Koreans and some of those pictures were horrible. Korea is a country that knows war and continues to be aware of the threat of war especially by irresponsible people in leadership roles.
I can't see how anyone can voluntarily bring war to anyone especially their own people. Reading Akhmatova's poetry especially the above poem brings this incredibility to my mind even more. It is as if some people operate without hearts, without feelings, without a conscience, without love. It happens,as we all know, and especially the people here in this country can wage war without considering the real price of war. I wish it weren't so; but it is. It is up to such poets as Akhmatova to bring the real price of war into a language that at least some of us can understand. Sometimes, that is all that can be done.
(Sources: Wikipedia and Poetry Foundation)
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