tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881054030497725613.post8203532881209054874..comments2023-11-03T15:50:56.001+01:00Comments on POET IN RESIDENCE : UNESCO World Poetry Day 2009Gwil Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305768121713053837noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881054030497725613.post-65739500128707021382009-03-24T08:26:00.000+01:002009-03-24T08:26:00.000+01:00Brodsky's life was long although what was he when ...Brodsky's life was long although what was he when he died, 50-something? The 18-months internal exile and hard labour in Russia prior to his expulsion and then his external exile must have seemed very long to him.Gwil Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03305768121713053837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881054030497725613.post-38215319213893904212009-03-23T00:33:00.000+01:002009-03-23T00:33:00.000+01:00Perhaps a comment from Brodsky himself would be us...Perhaps a comment from Brodsky himself would be useful to anyone thinking about this poem "What should I say about my life? That it's long and abhors transparence." From May 24, 1980.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11908332538776254864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881054030497725613.post-47974487752189477182009-03-20T15:46:00.000+01:002009-03-20T15:46:00.000+01:00love it - and the one at Brodsky's gravelove it - and the one at Brodsky's graveJohn McDonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306609410526737715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881054030497725613.post-46036372659819063422009-03-20T11:48:00.000+01:002009-03-20T11:48:00.000+01:00I don't know that one. I've seen Jancek's Jenufa t...I don't know that one. I've seen Jancek's Jenufa three times over the years. It's the one where they hide the baby in the frozen stream. I visited Janacek's house in Brunn quite recently. A small garden house quite near the centre. There's not a lot to see, a few few old photos, a piano, some musical scores (may not be originals), a bit of correspondence etc. Not very much in the way of old chairs and tables<BR/>and you have to stand far away behind a rope. But anyway you can appreciate that it was for Janacek a small oasis in a busy city. <BR/>I like this Brodsky poem because of it's "harsh reality" as you rightly call it. Verruckte is German for madman, by the way.Gwil Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03305768121713053837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881054030497725613.post-58544950803045663292009-03-20T11:40:00.000+01:002009-03-20T11:40:00.000+01:00What a hard poem, Poet - certainly the work of a r...What a hard poem, Poet - certainly the work of a realist I would say - I have to say that I personally prefer things a bit softer.<BR/>Somehow it reminded me of the Janacek Opera - "From the House of the Dead" - do you know it? I saw it in Birmingham about twenty five years ago performed by the Welsh National Opera - although I forget the music completely (Janacek does not make it easy for us to remember his "tunes"!) I have never forgotten the feeling of harsh reality it produced in me.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.com