Original (Russian)
Есть время жить — моё идёт на убыль,
Но пеплом я главу не посыпаю…
Иерихонские мои горланят трубы,
Не осыпаюсь, просто просыпаюсь.
А просыпаюсь я в стране и на земле
Обетованной — гавани последней,
С Кинеретом, мерцающем во мгле,
С Храмовой горой —
единственным наследством,
Отцом моим завещанным не в дар,
А в боль и кровь, текущую по жилам.
Сим володею я и сыну передам
Не родословную, но ветку древа жизни.
То дерево растёт повсюду и везде,
Но плодоносит лишь на отчей почве,
На том стоит. И крону ввысь воздев,
Лелеет набухающие почки…
А день зачатья и ухода день,
Как день один счастливого творенья.
Пусть храма день, но тень его и сень
Даруют надежду и терпенье…
English translation
There is a time to live — mine is on the wane,
But I do not sprinkle ashes on my head…
My Jericho trumpets are blaring,
I am not crumbling, I am simply waking up.
And I wake up in the country and in the Land
of Promise — the last harbor,
With the Kinneret, glimmering in the haze,
With the Temple Mount —
the only inheritance,
Bequeathed by my father not as a gift,
But as pain and blood flowing through the veins.
This I possess, and to my son I will hand down
Not a genealogy, but a branch of the tree of life.
That tree grows everywhere and anywhere,
But bears fruit only on the fathers’ soil,
On that it stands. And, lifting its crown high,
It cherishes the swelling buds…
And the day of conception and the day of departure
Are like a single day of happy creation.
Though it be the day of the temple, its shadow and its shelter
Grant hope and patience…
The English is a literal, line-by-line translation, given so that readers can follow the original.
About the poem
Analysis of the poem “Ascent”:
Theme:
The poem “Ascent” is devoted to the theme of life and death, of heritage and continuity.
The speaker:
The speaker is a man who is aware that his life is finite but does not fear death. He is determined to pass his heritage on to the next generation.
Images:
- “A time to live — mine is on the wane”: This phrase sets the tone of the poem at once. The speaker knows that his life is coming to an end, but he does not grieve over it.
- “My Jericho trumpets are blaring”: This metaphor says that the speaker does not fear death. He is ready to meet it with dignity.
- “In the country and in the Land of Promise”: This is the place where the speaker feels at home.
- “The Kinneret, glimmering in the haze”: This lake is a symbol of peace and calm.
- “The Temple Mount”: This is the place where the spiritual heritage of the people is kept.
- “The tree of life”: This is a symbol of life and immortality.
- “Bears fruit only on the fathers’ soil”: This means that the speaker believes in the importance of the bond with his ancestors and his homeland.
- “The day of conception and the day of departure”: These two events are closely bound to each other.
- “The day of the temple, its shadow and its shelter”: This metaphor suggests that even in death, there is hope and solace.
Language:
The poem is written in beautiful, figurative language. The author uses many metaphors and comparisons to create vivid pictures.
On the whole, “Ascent” is a deep and moving work about life, death and heritage.
Worth noting:
- This poem can be interpreted in different ways.
- The poem uses biblical images and symbols.
- The poem is written in iambs.
