Нюркина Песня [Nyurkina Pesnya] [English translation]

Word for word:

Set out girl rags on the floor

Threw around cards-clubs in the corners

Lost the girl happiness in spring

Forgot earrings-beads at the guests

In eyes prickly dust white light

In ears false chirping white poem

In the fields holed scarf white snow

In morning tired prayer white dream

Turned out a female truth the wall

Cried, swayed the silence

On strangers’ simple words like on hands

On placed legs, on heads

And in the cracked glass old tea

Not enough for flying out of old tasks

Photographs there are stars and dreams

How to make it so for everyone it is good

Everything that was she remembered herself

Sweeped the kitten from the windowsill by tail

Brought the admirers cognac

Explained the admirers what is what

Who sits under the window – chase away

At night the cold accelerated from the Ob’

Remember more often your sun

That not the wind the branch bends

Not the oak forest makes noise.

Interpretive:

She set out the rags on the floor

She threw the cards-clubs around corners

She lost her happiness in the spring

Lost her earrings-beads at the guests’

White light hits the eyes like burning dust

White poem hits the ear with false rhythm

White snow in the fields like a torn scarf

White dream in morning like a tired prayer

The wall turned out like female truth

The silence roars and thrashes

Upon strangers’ simple words as if on hands

Upon stood up legs, upon the heads

Old tea in the cracked glass

Old affairs not enough to take off

On photographs there are star and dreams

How do you make everyone happy

All that was she remembered herself

Sweeped the kitten from the window by tail

The men brought liquor and cognac

And explained what is what in the world

Those by the window – go away

The cold from the Ob spread at night

Remember more often your sun

As the wind bends not the branch

As the oak trees do whisper

• Artist:Yanka Dyagileva