Alexander Korotko, “Abraham and Isaac”, poem, Simferopol, “Tavria”, 2007.
Alexander Korotko, “We are the stars of David”, selected poems, Simferopol, “Tavria”, 2007.
Alexander Korotko, a poet who lives in Ukraine, is well known beyond its borders. Member of the Russian PEN Center, he was also published in Ukrainian, English, French, verses were translated into Polish, Croatian, Greek. The originality of the works of Alexander Korotko is highly appreciated by recognized masters of literature – introductory articles to his works were written by A. Bitov and A. Voznesensky. Criticism, paying tribute to him, noted: “It is difficult to put Alexandr Korotko in any series on the basis of similarity and kinship, everything is too much of his own, invented. Each of his poems is only an element of a voluminous tragic fresco about the present “(Weekly Mirror , 1998). In 2002, the disc “Along the Silence” was released – the lyrics of the poet were performed by the beautiful artist Sergei Jursky, the play “The Quarter of the Celeses” was played with success on the stage in Kiev. His poetry, laid to music, attracts talented performers – Svetlana Portnyanskaya, Tamara Gvardtsiteli, Alexander Malinin, Joseph Kobzon, Taisiya Povaliy and many others.
Alexander Shimonovich recently came to Israel, the presentations of the published books, his performances on the radio were successfully held here. The poet said that in recent years he devoted much time to Judaism, which was reflected in his work: the poem “Abraham and Isaac” and a collection of selected poems “We are the stars of David” published in two languages – Russian and Hebrew.
– In the Torah there is a week-long chapter “And go to yourself.” There comes a time when there is a need to return to own spiritual origins. My father was a believing person, he headed the Jewish community of Crimea. He was a Polish Jew, he knew Hebrew, read the Torah. While Grandma was alive, they spoke only Yiddish. I grew up in such an atmosphere. Every day, studying Judaism, I am more and more immersed in the world of spiritual values, I really care about this. This what the poem “Abraham and Isaac” is about. The Jewish theme also sounded in my previous poems. On my poem “Babi Yar” music was written by a very talented composer Inna Pushkar, a song performed by Svetlana Portnyanskaya sounded around the world and in 2006 was recognized as the best song about the Holocaust. In the collection “We are the stars of David” there are poems about childhood, about the city where I grew up, about love and death. Poetry is the most chambered, most penetrating substance in creativity. You can not pretend in poetry. The word is a transcription of thought, it is an iceberg, where there is a huge inner philosophical content. After all, poetry is, above all, pain, passed through the soul. I wanted my voice to sound in the language spoken by my ancestors. I was very lucky with the translators – Khava Korzhakova, and then editors and translators Raya and Yigal Gameir were able to deeply feel everything I thought about and wrote. They, as native speakers, managed to turn my poems into Hebrew poetry.
Alexandr Korotko is distinguished with his own unique music of the verse, his rhythm, which has no analogue, his own tragic worldview.
“The night as a snake crawled across the sky – and Abraham did not want to live. And the dream, engulfed by the flame of melancholy, was looking for the way – to dawn, to the sun, and it was pounding into temples: “Three days of the journey.” And early in the morning servants and worries appeared, and on the threshold stood a confused Isaac. “Let it be so,” said Abraham, and began preparing.
There were not the mountains expected them ahead , but Moria – the mountain, where the Temple is to stand, where talk about the earthly, about the perishable, go back … “
And quite different verses – confessional, sources, their nourishing, deeply personal.
Город рыжих невест.
Местечковый обидчивый ветер
за один лишь присест
выпивает всю воду из луж.
The poet’s tunic is tuned to comprehend themes that are consonant with each person, but he is given to express it in poetic stanzas.
It arises irreversibly from the shades of times and epochs sensual pantomime of life – half asleep, half-witted, sigh.What happens with time and with us, who steals the most priceless?
It’s “time with the eyes of a moneylender …” Where is our childhood home? To return there it is already impossible …
Дом оглох в тишине,
мой последний вокзал,
он забыл обо мне,
дом меня не узнал.
The Holocaust. Just four lines … and you feel physically cold and desperate.
Грех сводит тишину с ума. Бескровная война. Концлагеря и печи.
Жизнь куколкой живет. Продрогли плечи часовых. Скрипит
повешенный фонарь. Никто не верит, что умрет. И дождь,
как проклятый звонарь, по наковальне сердца бьет.
There are also quite short stanzas – apt, capacious aphorisms:
“To all persons who knew the knowledge of the night by heart, it is prescribed to pray despair.” “Adam and Eve never loved each other.” “The angel made a soul to laugh, and a smile appeared on the person’s face.” “The Jewish question remained unanswered.”
We will note – and not only. The poet tries to find answers to many questions of life.”Life happens. This joy, among other news, living on earth in one of his days finds.” But also, without simplifying human nature, it reminds: all of us, earthlings, are guests in this world.
Приходит время, и пора
душе в дорогу собираться.
Совсем не спится до утра,
и стыдно в этом нам признаться.
Приходит время, и пора
увидеть яркий свет нездешний,
понять, что жизнь Его игра,
а мы птенцы в Его скворечне.
Приходит время, и пора
читать последнюю страницу,
и слушать, слушать как ветра
заглядывают в наши лица.
Приходит время, и пора
расправить крылья для полета,
забыть, что были вечера
как продолжение субботы.