Poetry from Pripyat II - Every Day Romantics

When all crucial writings are done; when all artwork is accomplished, I will translate this book fully, before returning it where it belongs. Here's another poem from Pripyat, coloured by the politic state of the time. 

I thank Vlad Kamenskyy and Katsuk for pointing me in the right direction concerning the Ukrainian language.

Fluid songs, the buzz of moquitoes
Warm fires' noise and the chords  of guitars
Happy hours and dreams in tents
Were much too expensive  

For a long time you doubted
a kilogram of a worker's sweat mixed with itself

Beginning an everyday life,
and quench the hot stars

Be brave
Where now to travel?

A more consistent journey
than the spare coins of youth await

Creation of
 - an address  

And to work and exploit


What you have just read, is not a word-by-word- translation, but my own interpretation of the context: Discard the ways of youth and adapt to a future as a good worker.

Poetry from Pripyat - Symbols of an Epoch.

Friends and readers, I have started trying to translate the book. I still feel guilty about having taken it, but there's  also a conflict within, because at the same time I dearly want to preserve this piece of history, and not let it rot or be destroyed. 

The first piece translated, or rather interpretated, is a poem from the last page of the book. Russian poetry is for me very difficult to translate, so this is by all means not exact - just a hint to let you know what it's mainly about. 

Great thanks to Vladimir Umnyakov and Vladyslav Kaminsky for helping me by explaining the abbrevations and telling the history. 

The title of the poetry is "Symbols of an epoch" and it was written in 1977.

Be proud!
Architects of ours, the Soviet Rastrelli!
Not for nothing, the construction ascended,
a soldier's greatcoat, for peaceful purposes
Used in the reactor, the atom
And he will lead the train
and work will be his brother.

With our sun, we will illuminate
the Polesskiy neighborhood!
To you, our Pripyat
Worldwide fame awaits!
Work hard NPP, for all ages, mighty giant
like a Bolshevik monument in Soviet Ukraine
Grow, men of the the working class,
in our new construction of muscle mass and strength,
- Napolean days of heroism!
Grew once, Kuzbass
Turksib, Magnitogorsk, and the Donbass,
Kolkhoz system - people's jazz
Gone is the former plow.
And now BAM, NPP, Kamaz
The Symbols of an epoch.

Kuzbass and Donbass: The Kuznetsk and Donets Basins are coal mining areas. The first is situated in Russia, second in Ukraine.

Turkib: Turkestan- Siberian Railway - the railway was constructed in the years between 1926 and1931, connecting Central Asia with Siberia.
 

Magnitka: The unofficial name of the city of Magnitogorsk, and the Magnitogorsk Metallurgical combined.
 

BAM: The Baikal-Amur Mainline, also a railway.

АЭС (NPP): Atomnaya ElektroStantsija; Nuclear Power Plant.

KamAZ:  A truck automobile plant and also the name of the powerful trucks constructed.