Vasilisk Gnedov — Death to Art
Translated by Volodymyr Bilyk.
Translator’s Note:
Before you read these poems you must understand the trick behind them. They were written in russian but with heavy use of Ukrainian. From russian language point of view — it is borderline alien gibberish futurist pzazz — it froths with that mystical vibe for which the cycle is much undeservedly admired.But from the Ukrainian language point of view — it’s not exactly futurist poetry by any means. It’s more like symbolist pastoral poetry peppered with somber contemplation. The verbiage itself is in the vein of Hrycko Chuprynka who was into painting feeling with words more than doing “break on through to the other side”..
The following translation omits the inadequate playfulness because of supposedly alien-words. Instead, it shows the real picture behind them.
VERSION ONE (2013)
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Poem 1
STONGUE
wormwood hides — dust of soul.
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Poem 2
GOATMEAN
Tambourine bells diamond’s ass left-wise — lilac. Hides beside the Sun.
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Poem 3
pipewrap
Broken — colloquial…lichen — shepherd of sound.
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Poem 4
he of the mountains
Idea — sings. Ask wide Forgiveness.
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Poem 5
OBSCURITY
I’ll understand — I’ll catch — take Soul.
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Poem 6
Shyroll
Catfish! — and — you — don’t. Pussyfish! — and — fawn — before.
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Poem 7
TARFOIL (TARFOILING)
Mean curls — cunning morals
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Poem 8
Banglit
Silver linings — yoke-notion. Brows
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Poem 9
GAL WOE
Boo-bah. Boo-bah. Boo-bah.
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Poem 10
WHAT
Near endlessness.
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Poem 11
SINGALONG
OOH -
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Poem 12
Yesterday comes
Brother of mine is 8 years old. — Lil’ Pete.
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Poem 13
Tortu.
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Poem 14
U.
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Poem of the End (Poem 15)
—
(vast free space intended, Vladimir Pyast wrote that Gnedow only made one hand gesture, not saying a word — “there were no words — only one hand gesture — before the hairline with a rapid bow down and shift on the right side. something like a hook was that poem”)
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VERSION TWO (2014)
Poem 1
SCORBUTUSMOAN
wormwood embosoms— the dust of soul.
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Poem 2
GOATMEAN
The tambourine belts the diamond’s ass leftwards — lilac. Hides beside the Sun while Screeching.
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Poem 3
pipewrap
Broken — informally…fungus— shepherds the sound.
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Poem 4
he of the mountains
abstinence— peaches. Begs pardon.
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Poem 5
ABSTRUSENESS
I’ll infer — I’ll get it — acquit the Soul.
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Poem 6
Shyroll
Catfish! — and — you — don’t. Pussyfish! — and — fawn — ‘fore.
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Poem 7
TARFOIL
Mean curls — cunning morals
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Poem 8
Bashroar
silvern lining— the core thought yoked. Brows.
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Poem 9
GAL WOE
Boo-bah. Boo-bah. Boo-bah.
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Poem 10
WHAT
Near endlessness.
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Poem 11
SINGALONG
OOH -
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Poem 12
Yesterday comes
Brother of mine, 8 years old. — Lil’ Pete.
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Poem 13
Excru.
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Poem 14
Yoo.
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Poem of the End (Poem 15)
—
(vast free space intended, Vladimir Pyast wrote that Gnedow only made one hand gesture while not saying a word — “there were no words — only one hand gesture — before the hairline with a rapid bow down and shift on the right side. something like a hook was that poem”)
***
