AAudio Video
VLADIMIR VYSOTSKY (1938-1980)
The Grammer Of Love
Vladimir Vysotsky was married to Marina Vladi – a French movie star from 1960s-70s. Though she was of a Russian origin, her mother tongue was French. Still she was able to communicate in Russian too. For Vysotsky it was a real challenge to learn French so that he could match his bilingual Parisian wife. No wonder, this situation was reflected in his poem written in 1973 which was dedicated to Marina Vladi. My translation of this Vysotsky’s piece is performed in English by Chris Fairley (USA).
The Tenses Of Love
I’m loving you, my bride,
And this I hate to hide!
Not “after”, not “before” I’m burning in your glow!
The sky is blue or gray — I’m loving you today,
I don’t remember Past, and Future I don’t know!
“I loved you” in the Past
Is but a grave and dust.
These words depress me hard, they bring dismay and fear,
Though poets would say with no disgust:
“I used to love you, yes, I loved you, dear!”
That means that something faded, wilted, withered …
It’s pitiful and sounds very lenient,
Regretting happy moments in the past,
Indulging helpless and dethroned Caesar,
Conveying something very inconvenient
And stating that “I love” has no trust!
I’m now loving you —
This love is full and new!
My age has come, I won’t succumb to Time, the butcher!
My Present lasts in every part and hue,
I dream of no Past and rave for no Future!
No hindrance, balk or brake
Can keep me from a break
To you through fire, and through water and through air!
But only you don’t ever try to make
Me add after “I love” – “I will, I swear!”
This bitter “will” is pregnant with ill-willing,
And forgery and, thus, it states unpleasantly
That there exists an exit, kept in store,
And poison in the pie’s delicious filling;
It doesn’t trust all that’s occurring presently,
It disbelieves “I love”, its real core!
SFrench tenses drive me mad,
They almost split my head…
Their Future’s so strange, their Past – the source of anguish!
I’m shamed in public, feeling way too bad;
I’m challenged to the barrier of Language!
I’m deeply in for it!
Our languages don’t fit!
But this enormous gap our passion has to suture!
In any tense my love to you is lit —
In Perfect Present and in Perfect Future!
Translated by George Tokarev
© GEORGE TOKAREV 1999
The Grammer Of Love