Magnificently owning several languages, Ilya Levkov talked about publishing and contemporary literature in beautiful, juicy Russian. Unfortunately, today and in Russia it is not often possible to hear a competent Russian speech, the more valuable to me was the digression into the history of publishing, and the story of meetings and work with outstanding masters of the word years past and present.
The story of the unique edition of the book of selected works “There are birds of the love’s separation” by the talented poet Alexander Korotko, the master of unexpected and accurate metaphors, whose poetry you involuntarily compare with the best Impressionist works in the visual arts filled with profound philosophical meaning became a complete surprise to me.
In essence, this meeting was an informal presentation of a completely unique and in content and execution of the book “There are birds of love’s separation.”
Ilya Levkov quite accurately noted that the poetry of Alexander Korotko is so profound and multifaceted that acquaintance with it requires the reader to have a certain readiness and complicity, it can not be read alike.
Those present were interested in everything: the details of the poet’s biography, the circulation of the book, and where you can buy it. But perhaps the most valuable thing to me seemed to be a kind of improvised concert when a Knesset deputy, a former television announcer, Nino Abisadze, perfectly read the poem by Alexander Korotko, subtly noting its depth and musicality. It was necessary to see the faces of listeners, their smiles, and some have tears in their eyes …
“We can not foresee how our word will respond …”, said the great Fedor Tyutchev, I would add: we are not given, but this is given to my friend, the great poet Alexander Korotko.