At the grave of J. Brodsky

[Vadim Besprozvany]

Dear Alexandra,

This is an interesting point. The suggestion that Andrew Reynolds made  
also points on "disputes" around the place where Brodsky would be  
buried. Hence, "undisputed" may refer a) to Brodsky's legacy as a  
subject of quarrels during the poet's lifetime, 2) to the place of  
Brodsky's grave, 3) more abstract concept, like "undisputed truth" of  
Brodsky's singnificance for the world poetry.

By the way, don't you find it a bit strange to say "undisputed stone"  
about the place/symbol which was in fact a matter of disputes?

I like your translation; it is a torture to fit in the original  
two-words phrase in Russian two words. Too many "unwanted side  
effects" :)

Thanks a lot,

Vadim

> Dear Vadim,
>
> If you look at the videoclip produced by Svetlana Surganova (St  
> Petersburg song writer and performer), you'll see Brodsky's grave  
> and the cemetery itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CUOJFwa4O4
> It shows the sign directing to Brodsky's grave. There is a name that  
> says Joseph Brodsky. It's hand-written and is located next to the  
> sign that says "Ezra Pound".
> The grave itself looks strikingly different from other graves  
> because of the growing ivy and flowers, a bowl with messages, a  
> bottle of vodka, etc.
> I would imagine that Morton's use of the word "undisputed" here  
> might evoke the title of the album of the psychedelic soul music  
> produced in the 1971 -- "The Undisputed Truth".
> But the link with Pound is very important, especially in relation to  
> the theme of arguments that you would like to uncover. Brodsky wrote  
> on Ezra Pound and translated him into Russian. I'm sure that Morton  
> was aware of a "quarrel" regarding the authorities' decision to bury  
> Brodsky next to Ezra Pound. It is described in Ludmila Shtern's book  
> (Joseph Bridsky. a Personal Memoir by Ludmila Shtern, 2004, pp.  
> 371-72). Shtern suggests that the authorities didn't allow Brodsky's  
> family to bury Brodsky in the Russian part of the family next to  
> famous Russian exiles such as Diagilev and Stravinsky because he was  
> not baptised as Russian Orthodox. Some parts of the book including  
> the description of the grave are accessible through the site called  
> Google.scholar.
>
> I do like Konstantin Kustanovich's 's translation. It's very precise.
> In my own rendering I've tried to put more emphasis on memory:
>
> "Kak tol'ko ia okazyvaius'
> Riadom s Tvoim nadgrob'em,
> Ia myslenno vsegda perenoshus'
> V Venetsiiu, gde dvadsat' let nazad...." etc.
>
> To my mind, the most important message of the poem is related to the  
> notion of simultaneity that highlights the importance of personal  
> memories.
>
>
>
>
> With best wishes,
> Alexandra
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------
> Alexandra Smith (PhD, University of London)
> Reader in Russian
> Department of European Languages and Cultures
> School of  Languages, Literatures and Cultures
> The University of Edinburgh
> David Hume Tower
> George Square
> Edinburgh EH8 9JX
> UK
>
> tel. +44-(0)131-6511381
> fax: +44- (0)131- 650-3604
> e-mail: Alexandra.Smith at ed.ac.uk
>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
> Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
>
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