My Thorny Thoughts
By Aussiegirl
Here is another famous poem by Shevchenko. Probably every Ukrainian old and young, even today, can sing this song with these words, much as Americans sing "America the Beautiful" to the words of Katharine Lee Bates or "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" written by Julia Ward Howe. It is of course impossible to convey the beauty of the sound of the words and the subtle connotations in Ukrainian. This is always the fate of poetry in translation.
English Translations of the
Poetry of Taras Shevchenko
My Thoughts
My thorny thoughts, my thorny thoughts,
You bring me only woe!
Why do you on the paper stand
So sadly row on row? ...
Why did the winds not scatter you
Like dust across the steppes?
Why did ill-luck not cradle you
To sleep upon its breast? ...
My thoughts, my melancholy thoughts,
My children, tender shoots!
I nursed you, brought you up -- and now
What shall I do with you? ...
Go to Ukraine, my homeless waifs!
Your way make to Ukraine
Along back roads like vagabonds,
But I'm doomed here to stay.
There you will find a heart that's true
And words of welcome kind,
There honesty, unvarnished truth
And, maybe, fame you'll find ...
So welcome them, my Motherland,
Ukraine, into your home!
Accept my guileless, simple brood
And take them for your own!
St. Petersburg, 1839.
Translated by John Weir
posted by Aussiegirl @ 5:27 PM
4 Comments:
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That was a beautiful and heartbreaking poem, Aussiegirl. Thanks for posting this kind of stuff-you simply can`t find this anywhere but Ultima Thule!
You are a fountain of information! I have a much better perspective on what is happening in Ukraine thanks to your dilligent efforts!
Sorry i didn`t answer you right away on my own blog-I haven`t had a lot of time lately. I studied Russian first in High School because we had to take 2 years of foreign language, and they offered it, and I didn`t want to take Spanish or French, soooo... In College, I took it again for easy credit, and because I thought it might be useful (the Cold War was really heating up in those long gone days of the early `80`s). By the late `80`s the Cold War was winding DOWN and so I was left high and dry by history; all the jobs I had my eye on were downsizing rather than hiring. Oh, well!
Thanks for all the great posts, and for all the kindness and encouragement you have given me!
Dumy moi, dumy moi -- lykho meni z vamy ---
It does bring a misting of the eyes. Thanks for commenting. I'm a first-generation Ukrainian too -- and attend St. Andrews Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, D. C. Isn't it finally lovely to have Ukraine known for something good -- and not just as a part of Russia -- or for Chornobyl. Visit again, and welcome.
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