Sunday, January 7, 2007


Dear Yesenin,

I have just finished a translation of your "The Witch". I think you'll prefer it to all others. After all, we're family, and have a very deep understanding. And, I used Ezra Pounds method. Also, have you seen "The Milky Way"? It will blow your *(^% off!


The Witch

head uncovered and whacked out ;
quick, sudden, though stout.

Eves all death to himself;
his clouds overlap the moon.

His push-off-song becomes unglued;
crazy whistles in the tree line too.

The fur trees slap and impale;
Owls choke on the mouse's tail.

Our fishwife coughs and spits;
Out and up where the sky is lit.

Locks swung like vipers;
ablaze in the dead of winter.

By her feet and by her throat;
the clouds go into statues.

1 comment:

eword said...

hello! thanks for leaving a message in my guestbook.
your blog is interesting too. i still have to understand it properly, i'm not sure i got who yesenin is. i'm too ignorant when it comes to russian poetry. :-(
i liked the association of daria and cohen in that other post. two of my fave canadians. and i love hardy too.
i'll bookmark your blog. ciao!