Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Udelny Park: "The Forest Like a Chamber Painted..."

         Last Sunday was sunny and warm, it was about +15 C. Of course , it was impossible not to seize such a gift of nature, a beautiful fall day and not to go for a stroll. Udelny park is one of the oldest parks in the northern part of St. Petersburg.
It is located on low hills, there are several sources that form a small lakes. One of the lakes is not far from the entrance, the another one is in the depths of the park.
The park is known since the XIX century, on its land
cottages were built, many festivities were organized. Udelny park gained great popularity among the citizens of St. Petersburg. The popularity grew even more after the opening of the Udelny railway station in the end of XIX century.
Now the upper part of the park is especially convenient for hiking and sports, for hills skiing and tobogganing in winter. Groups of enthusiasts spend sports activities for children and adults in the park.
I've taken a few pictures of Udelny park in October, and found the poem by Russian poet
Ivan Bunin (read more here)

Here they are:



The forest like a chamber painted 
In lilac, golden, purple, green
Stands on the edge of opening, 
The wall so exquisite and dainty.
The yellow carving of birch-trees
Shines in the sparkling blue
And slight, refreshing autumn breeze
Show easily to you


In the transparent foliage
These gaps into the sky.
The forest like a house's ridge
Smells of dried oak and pine.

And now, the quiet widow, Autumn
Comes to her coloured place.
The fallen leaves are getting rotten
And from the empty space


 


Today it's silence everywhere:
The forest and the sky are calm.
And in this silence you can hear
How leaves fall on your palm.

The forest like a chamber painted 
In lilac, golden, purple, green
Stands on the edge of opening
By some enchantress fascinated. 


 
Ivan Bunin
 "The Fallen Leaves"
 1909-10

Translated into English by Svetlana Amelina

 
Have you liked Ivan Bunin's poem? 
Did you read any Russian poems before? If you know some poets whom do you prefer? Thank you!

 
 

 

 
 
 

43 comments:

  1. What a beautiful park!! I would love to spend an entire day there :)

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  2. Autumn(or Fall) is such a wonderful season and you captured it wonderfully Nadezda.Beautiful poem as well. I hadn't ever heard it.Thanks for sharing.
    Marian

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    1. Glad you liked my pictures and the poem, thank you, Marian!

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  3. I've never read this poem before... it is beautiful. And your images are perfect companions to the words.

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  4. Welcome Nadezda
    I am delighted with your post.
    Love poems Bunin. This Nobel Prize winner, a wonderful poet.
    You should get a Nobel Prize for the wonderful pictures.
    Nadezda, you know what your dream job? I dream to one day find yourself in this beautiful forest.
    I send kisses and greetings.
    Lucia

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    1. Dear Lucia, you're so kind to award me the Nobel Prize! I think I don't deserve such high prize :((
      About Ivan Bunin, he absolutely deserved the Nobel Prize, being great writer and poet. Thank you!

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  5. Lovely poem! I wasn't familiar with Bunin, but I've read quite a few Russian poets, especially back in my college days studying literature. I think the woods are loveliest in the fall--beautiful photos!

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    1. It was a surprise that you've read Russian literature in your college! To say honestly the Bunin's books are not included in school literature program here and are studied at Literature faculties in University. Thank you!

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  6. What a beautiful park (and poem). I love the way it is all cleared out beneath the tall straight trunks of trees, making a quiet glade to walk in. And the color in those last photos is awesome!

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    1. I agree, Laurrie, the park glades are beautiful, the old and young trees grow very close and go well each other. Thank you!

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  7. This poem is so beautiful and the combination with your wonderful pictures of the Udelny Park is magnificent. I even do not remember if I read poems of Russian poets before.

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    1. Janneke, if you have time and desire you could read Bunin's stories and poems published in New York, good translation.Glad you loved the combination of images and phrases. Thank you!

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  8. Hello Nadezda

    Lovely pictures of Udelny Park. I know that St Petersburg is a very special city but I didn’t know that it also has great parks.

    I know many Russian poets, old masters as well as modern ones. Male and female. I would have to think to give you a favourite. There are too many great poems in Russian, even if I can only read them in translation in English or German.

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    1. Friko, I'm sure you know and read many Russian poets, as Boris Pasternak, Alexander Block, Alexander Pushkin and others I do love many English and German poets, as Goethe, Longfellow, Robert Louis Stevenson, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, etc. and of course I read them in translation. Thank you!

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  9. Dear Nadezda,what a beautiful park!!!
    Full of autumn colours!!!And the poem is so romantic!!
    Thank you for sharing!!!Have a nice week!!!
    Dimi...

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  10. I have never read this poem before. Beautiful pictures you show from your picnic.
    Thanks for the comment on my blog.
    I do not care much about spiders. Has compiled a spider up as bit me, feels like being stung by a wasp - cross spider is not poisonous.
    Wish you a good Wednesday :) Hugs Hanne Bente

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  11. Lovely park and beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing with us.
    Patricia x

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  12. Dear Nadezda,
    You take very nice photographs. I like those ones of the trees and the forest glade. I had not read the poems of Ivan Bunin before. Now I have I think read one of his jewels...
    My favourite poets: Dame Edith Sitwell and Robert Herrick.
    Bye for now
    Kirk

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    1. I'm glad you liked the forest glade, these are places where I often walk. I've read a poem by Dame Edith Sitwell, 'Solo For Ear-Trumpet' and recall the words: 'Then suddenly Eternity drowns all the houses like a sea'. It's a new name and I'll try to read more.
      Thank you, Kirk!

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  13. Hi Nadezda
    What a gorgeous spot in which to take a walk! Beautiful and very peaceful.
    I don't read much poetry, English or otherwise, but I liked this particular poem. Thanks!

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    1. Glad you liked this poem, Astrid. I've especially chosen it for my pictures. Thank you!

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  14. Me ha gustado Nadezda!! Y también las fotos que nos dejas. que parecidos son esos paisajes a los de aquí.
    Los árboles estan verdes, pronto empezaran a ponerse de colores:)) Tenemos buen tiempo todavía.
    Te dejo algo de Neruda que me gusta..
    Un beso.

    Te recuerdo como eras en el último otoño.
    Eras la boina gris y el corazón en calma.
    En tus ojos peleaban las llamas del crepúsculo.
    Y las hojas caían en el agua de tu alma.

    Tu recuerdo es de luz, de humo, de estanque en calma!
    Más allá de tus ojos ardían los crepúsculos.
    Hojas secas de otoño giraban en tu alma.

    Pablo Neruda

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    1. Laura, que lindo es el poema de Pablo Neruda!
      Gracias!

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  15. What a beautiful poem and a lovely park. It would be so nice spend a day in a park like that. Happy Thursday, Nadezda!

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  16. Beautiful. The trails through the woods look so inviting. And the light and shadows seem to be playing with each other. :)

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    1. Holley, your feelings are so similar to mine, thank you!

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  17. Hello Nadezda,
    The park is beautiful and your lovely photos. draw me in to discover more. I love photographs of pathways and roads that go off into the distance. The reflections in the lake are so restful and the colours and sunshine makes it all look very peaceful. I would like to take that walk in Udelny Park.
    Beautiful words of the poet Bunin fit the pictures well. I read the article about him that you linked to. What an interesting man! He had a long life full of many changes. He was a great lover of nature and I agree with his sentiments concerning the flower 'Lily of the Valley' (landysh) :) I did not know any Russian poets, but there are some Australian poets that I really enjoy, especially this poet Dorothea Mackellar and this poem. She wrote it while living in England for a time, which explains the first verse tp://www.dorotheamackellar.com.au/archive/mycountry.htm
    Thank you for this post. Hope the week-end is going well.
    Betty

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    1. Hi, Betty!
      I love to take pictures of roads, paths, tracks, etc, calling us to go further... as well! Thank you for new for me name of Australian poet Dorothea Mackellar, I liked her words:"An opal-hearted country, a wilful, lavish land". Have a nice week!

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  18. I love to stroll in the forest in the fall... How lucky you are to live near such beautiful wild places! This park looks very peaceful.

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    1. I love the Udelny park, often stroll there. Thank you, Rebecca!

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  19. A delightful park and I love the bright red leaves against the forest in the final picture. I also love your header. Those berries look good enough to eat but I suspect they might not be for eating! :)

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    1. Jenny, these berries are viburnum or 'Kalinka' , there is a song about it:kalinka, kalinka, kalinka moya..They are edible and lost their bitterness after first frost. Thank you!

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  20. What a lovely text and beautiful pictures!

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  21. I've read a few Russian poets, mostly Pushkin and very much liked Bunin's poem that you shared. Your pictures are gorgeous! The last one looks as if there is a fire in the forest.

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  22. Your pictures are beautiful. Fantastic place to walk.....
    Greetings

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