Robert Rozhdestvensky

Okay, due to the popular demand, and because I'm fascinated by all the possible interpretations of what seems so straightforward to me, here's my translation of Robert Rozhdestvensky's poem. I'm making this as literal as I can and trying not to let my biases affect me. (I am using the text here as my source material.) I'm preserving the original line breaks and punctuation (wherever it makes sense).

Do you see how this poem reinforces patriarchal stereotypes (even though the speaker apparently asserts his weak position -- or, I should say 'performs' weakness)? Or do think it's more complicated? (Of course, it's more complicated -- the poem betrays an underlying problem of masculinity in post-WWII Soviet Union, where the model of masculinity is changing rapidly, and drinking and womanizing become the main ways for men to perform their masculinity.. I think this poem also fulfills this function, a creative way to assert masculinity..) I am also interested in thinking about the ways this poem reads today in English -- sans the complicated Soviet context. Can it be read as subversive (of patriarchal stereotypes) today?


Please, be
               weaker.
Be,
please.
And then will I gift you
a miracle,
                  no problem.
And then I will grow tall --
                              grow big,
will become special.
From a burning house I will carry
you,
still sleepy.
I will dare to do everything unknown,
everything reckless --
will throw myself into the sea,
                                     dense,
                                          sinister,
and will rescue you!..
My heart will demand this of me,
my heart
                   will demand this...
But in fact you are
stronger than me,
                          stronger
and more secure!
You yourself
                     are ready to rescue others
from a deep sadness,
you are not afraid of
                              the swish of a blizzard,
or of a crackling fire.
You won't lose your way,
                                  you won't drown,
malice
you won't amass.
You won't cry
                       and you won't moan,
if you wish not to.
You will become gentle
                                  and you will become flighty,
if you wish it...
For me to be with you,
so secure,
is difficult --
                          very.
Even if in pretense,
                                  even if for a moment --
I'm asking you,
                               timidly, --
help me
to believe in myself,
become weaker.

1962.

Here's one more poem, just to show that the speaker is earnest in his desires. Sixteen years later, it seems that he's found the kind of relationship he was looking for:

"Resound, Love!" (The original text is here.)

I love you, my prize.
I love you, my dawn.
If you don't believe me, try me, --
I will do it all!

Mountains and seas I will cross for you,
The rainbow in the steppe I will light for you,
The mystery of the blue stars I will open for you,
Resound in me, my love!
I sing about how I love you,
I think about how I love you,
I know only one thing, that I love you,
Resound in me, my love!

My life has changed its course,
There had not been such spacious days,
I see you and I become a hundred times
Taller and stronger!

I live only by your smile,
Only by your breath I live.
If this is a dream, then let this dream
Become reality!

Mountains and seas I will cross for you,
The rainbow in the steppe I will light for you,
The mystery of the blue stars I will open for you,
Resound in me, my love!
I sing about how I love you,
I think about how I love you,
I know only one thing, that I love you,
Resound in me, my love!

1978.