The Song of the Stormy Petrel

The Song of the Stormy Petrel

The Song of the Stormy Petrel (Песня о Буревестнике,"English translation below") is a short piece of revolutionary literature written by the
Russian writer Maksim Gorki in 1901. Itis considered poetry.

In 1901, no one could criticise the tsar directly and hopeto escape unhappy fate. The language calling for revolution is coded — the proud stormy petrel, unafraid of the storm(that is, revolution), as all other animals cower.

Gorky was arrested for publishing it, but released shortly thereafter.

The text in original Russian and English translation follows ("the English translation is GFDL; note on translation on the page").

Над седой равниной моря ветер тучи собирает. Между тучами и морем гордо реет Буревестник, черной молнии подобный.

То крылом волны касаясь, то стрелой взмывая к тучам, он кричит, и - тучи слышат радость в смелом крике птицы.

В этом крике - жажда бури! Силу гнева, пламя страсти и уверенность в победе слышат тучи в этом крике.

Чайки стонут перед бурей, - стонут, мечутся над морем и на дно его готовы спрятать ужас свой пред бурей.

И гагары тоже стонут, - им, гагарам, недоступно наслажденье битвой жизни: гром ударов их пугает.

Глупый пингвин робко прячет тело жирное в утесах... Только гордый Буревестник реет смело и свободно над седым от пены морем!

Все мрачней и ниже тучи опускаются над морем, и поют, и рвутся волны к высоте навстречу грому.

Гром грохочет. В пене гнева стонут волны, с ветром споря. Вот охватывает ветер стаи волн объятьем крепким и бросает их с размаху в дикой злобе на утесы, разбивая в пыль и брызги изумрудные громады.

Буревестник с криком реет, черной молнии подобный, как стрела пронзает тучи, пену волн крылом срывает.

Вот он носится, как демон, - гордый, черный демон бури, - и смеется, и рыдает... Он над тучами смеется, он от радости рыдает!

В гневе грома, - чуткий демон, - он давно усталость слышит, он уверен, что не скроют тучи солнца, - нет, не скроют!

Ветер воет... Гром грохочет...

Синим пламенем пылают стаи туч над бездной моря. Море ловит стрелы молний и в своей пучине гасит. Точно огненные змеи, вьются в море, исчезая, отраженья этих молний.

- Буря! Скоро грянет буря!

Это смелый Буревестник гордо реет между молний над ревущим гневно морем; то кричит пророк победы:

- Пусть сильнее грянет буря!..

:"Over the gray flatness of the sea the wind gathers storm-clouds. Between the clouds and the sea proudly soars the stormy petrel, as a streak of black lightning.":"Now the waves on wingtip touching, now as an arrow shooting to the clouds, he screams, and — the clouds hear joy in the bird's proud cry."

:"In that cry — the lust of the storm! The power of anger, the flame of passion and certainty in victory hear the clouds in that cry."

:"The seagulls whimper before the storm, — whimper, toss about over the sea and are ready to hide their horror to its depths."

:"And the diver-birds also whimper, — the diver-birds cannot attain the joy of life's struggle: the thunder of lightning-bolts frightens them."

:"The stupid penguin cowardly hides its blubber in the rocks ... only the proud stormy petrel soars bold and free over the grey sea froth!"

:"Ever darker and lower clouds drop to the sea, the waves singing and tearing to pieces to meet the thunder."

:"Thunder rumbles. In a froth of anger moan the waves, fighting the wind. See the wind grab waves in a powerful embrace, and in a fling, smash them at the rocks, beating emerald masses to drops and mist."

:"The stormy petrel soars with a scream, a streak of black lightning, as an arrow pierces the clouds, on wing-tip slicing the wave froth."

:"See him hover, like a demon — proud, black demon of the storm — he laughs, and cries ... he laughs atop the clouds, he cries with joy!"

:"In the froth of anger — clever demon, — he has long heard weariness, he knows that the clouds won't defeat the sun — no, the sun will triumpth!"

:"The wind roars ... Thunder rumbles ..."

:"As a blue flame burn clouds over the sea's abyss. The sea catches arrows of lightning and snuffs them in her depths. As snakes of fire reflect those twisting bolts, vanishing."

:"— The storm! Soon will break the storm!"

:"The bold stormy petrel proudly flies between the lightning and the frothing anger of the sea; now screams the prophet of victory:"

:"— Let the storm burst forth in all fury!"


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) — For other uses, see Church of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ Classification Restorationist Geographical areas Worldwide Headquarters Monongahela, Pennsylvania Origin April 6, 1830 …   Wikipedia

  • The Eleventh Hour (TV series) — infobox television show name = The Eleventh Hour caption = format = Drama runtime = 60 min. creator = Semi Chellas Ilana Frank starring = Shawn Doyle Waneta Storms Jeff Seymour Sonja Smits Ben Bass country = Canada executive producer = network =… …   Wikipedia

  • Children of the Sun (play) — Maxim Gorky reading in the Penates his drama Children of the Sun. Drawing by Ilya Repin (1905). Children of the Sun (Russian: Дети солнца Deti solntsa) is a 1905 play by Maxim Gorky, written while he was briefly imprisoned in Saint Petersburg s… …   Wikipedia

  • Packed to the Rafters — Opening Title Card Format Drama Created by Bevan Lee Starring …   Wikipedia

  • 1901 in literature — The year 1901 in literature involved some significant new books. Events* First Nobel Prize for Literature awarded, to French poet René François Admand Sully Prudhomme; many people are outraged when Leo Tolstoy does not win. * October 23 Mark… …   Wikipedia

  • Maxim Gorky — For other uses, see Maxim Gorky (disambiguation). Maxim Gorky Portrait of Gorky, c. 1906 Born Alexei Maximovich Peshkov March 28 [O.S. March 16] 1868 Nizhny Novgorod, Russ …   Wikipedia

  • Oglethorpe University — Motto Nescit Cedere Established 1835 Type Private Endowment $24,000,00 …   Wikipedia

  • Gorky, Maksim — orig. Aleksey Maksimovich Peshkov born March 28, 1868, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia died June 14, 1936, Nizhny Novgorod Russian writer. After a childhood of poverty and misery (his assumed name, Gorky, means bitter ), he became a wandering tramp. His… …   Universalium

  • Reader's Digest Condensed Books — were a series of anthology books, available by subscription and originally published quarterly (the frequency of publication went through several changes over the years), by Reader s Digest. Each volume consisted of three to five current… …   Wikipedia

  • List of children's literature authors — This is a list of notable children s literature authors and their most famous works. For a discussion of the criteria used to define something as a work of children s literature, see children s literature. Contents A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”