Thread: Andrei Voznesensky, Russian Poet, Dies at 77

Article in The New York Times about Voznesensky's death.

Another article in The New York Times about Russian poetry. This is published in light of Voznesensky's death. Mostly targeted to those unfamiliar with Russian poetry but still has some interesting bits for those who are.

Here's the poem quoted in the first article in Russian:


ГОЙЯ

Я - Гойя!
Глазницы воронок мне выклевал ворон,
слетая на поле нагое.
Я - Горе.

Я - голос
Войны, городов головни
на снегу сорок первого года.
Я - Голод.

Я - горло
Повешенной бабы, чье тело, как колокол,
било над площадью голой...
Я - Гойя!

О, грозди
Возмездья! Взвил залпом на Запад -
я пепел незваного гостя!
И в мемориальное небо вбил крепкие звезды -
Как гвозди.

Я - Гойя.

1959

More here in Russian.

Kind of on the same topic: if anyone is interested in "rock operas", check out "Yunona i Avos'" (Юнона и Авось), a Russian rock opera from 1981, with lyrics by Voznesensky and music by A. Rybnikov. There are two video recordings -- 1983 (the "original") and 2002 (the "new" version). Both are available on the internet.