At the end of June, Peter Rykhlo, Ukrainian literary critic, essayist and translator, became a laureate of the Polish writer Stanislav Vincenz’s prize “For humanistic service and contribution to the development of the regions.” The poet Alexander Korotko is grateful to Peter Rykhlo for his cooperation and congratulates him with all his heart on this event! By the way, both of them are members of the PEN-club: Peter – Ukrainian, Alexander – Belgian.
Peter Rykhlo – Professor of the Department of Foreign Literature at the Chernivtsi National University named after Yuri Fedkovych, author of monographs, compiler of anthologies of German-language literature in Bukovina, numerous publications in Ukrainian, German, Polish and Russian in Ukraine and abroad, laureate of many literary awards. His translations into Ukrainian included about 40 books of German-speaking authors. Among the most famous translated editions – a 10-volume book of poetry by Paul Celan (Peter Rykhlo is the translator and compiler of this edition).
Alexander Korotko and Peter Rykhlo are actively cooperating lately. Essays about Rilke, Celan, Kafka, “Faust” of Goethe have been translated into German. And today from Peter Rykhlo we have received a translation of Alexander Korotko’s poetic miniatures – poems in one line. We publish some of them in Russian (original), English (translated by Michael Pursglove) and German (translated by Peter Rykhlo):
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Что за странная манера умирать навсегда.
What a strange manner of dying forever.
Was für eine merkwürdige Manier, für immer zu sterben?
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На площади XXI века стоит каменное сердце. Одно на всех.
On the square of the XXI century stands a stone heart. One stands for all.
Auf dem Platz des XXI. Jahrhunderts steht das steinerne Herz. Eines für alle.
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Родина просила оставить её в покое.
Motherland asked to leave her in peace.
Die Heimat bat, sie in Ruhe zu lassen.
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Долго так продолжаться не может, хотя будет.
It cannot continue long like that, though it will.
Lange kann es so nicht dauern, wird aber.
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Кто скажет, почему так долго в ссоре берега реки?
Who will say why the shores of the river have fallen out for so long?
Wer sagt uns, weswegen die Flussufer miteinander so lange verfeindet sind?