Ever had feelings for someone, and you just couldn’t work up the nerve to tell them? Or worse, you tried to hide that you liked them at all? Today’s poem, written by the 19th-century Russian poet Afanasy Fet, expresses that feeling with poignant simplicity and elegance. I tried to preserve as much of that tone as … Read more
It’s November, and I’m in the mood for something depressing! Today’s poem comes to you from 2016, by way of the 100 Themes Challenge I have yet to finish. The prompt for this one was — BREATHE — which, as it turns out, has little to do with the final result … but hey, a … Read more
Today’s poem was actually published! The e-zine Quantum Fairy Tales included it in their Winter 2016 issue. BUT, alas, that issue (with the entire e-zine, it appears) is now little more than a broken link. For that reason I expect no one will mind if I re-post “Cream of Fool Ivan: A Recipe” right here. >=) … Read more
Okay, so, whatever our differences may be, Alexander Pushkin and I have at least this one thing in common: our favorite season is fall. That is, осень, or osen’, in Russian. Let Tyutchev have his spring … what’s not to love about the leaves turning gold, red, and orange — the air turning crisp and … Read more
Something I really love about the Russian language is that states of silence and color can be verbs. For instance, if something is white, you could express it as a static description — it is white — or, more poetically, as an action: it whites. It’s the same with silence. Someone can be silent, or, on the other hand, … Read more