Poem about Alexei

Perhaps someone else has posted this poem before, but I haven't been able to find it here.

It was written in honor of Alexei by the famous Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva on the third day of Easter, April 4, 1917. The religious theme and imagery are very interesting (Alexei is linked to Christ on various levels), as is Tsvetaeva's concern that Alexei will share the fate of Tsarevich Dmitri of Uglich, who was murdered back in the sixteenth century.

I apologize for translating the poem literally from the Russian. You will have to take my word for it that it sounds very beautiful in the original. (I will post the Russian, too, upon request.)  


For the Infant - for the Dove - for the Son,
For the young tsarevich Alexei
Pray, church-going Russia!

Wipe the tears from his angelic eyes,
Remember how the Uglich dove
Fell on the tiles - Dmitri!

You are tender, Mother Russia!
Oh, will you really not have for him
enough loving grace?

Do not punish the son for the sins of the father.
Oh, peasant Russia, preserve
The lamb of Tsarskoe Selo - Alexei!

Dear Elisabeth --

I know Tsvetaeva's poem about the Tsarevich well, and once transliterated it into English poetry:

http://hydrogen.pallasweb.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=family;action=display;num=1089916064;start=17#17

O, pozhaluista, ya hachoo eta stikh po-chitaet po Russki.  Eto istinny krasivi.

Thank you for reminding us about that heartfelt verse about that sweet little boy upon this Bright Week in his centenary year.  God bless you!

Elizabeth also

Are there poems about OTMA, also?

O, pozhaluista, ya hachoo eta stikh po-chitaet po Russki.  Eto istinny krasivi.

Here is the poem in Russian, for you, Pravoslavnaya! And thank you for sharing the (much better) poetical translation with us.


Za Otroka - za Golubia - za Syna,
Za tsarevicha mladogo Aleksiia
Pomolis', tserkovnaia Rossiia!

Ochi angel'skie vytri,
Vspomiani kak pal na plity
Golub' uglitskii - Dimitrii.

Laskovaia ty, Rossiia, mater'!
Akh, uzheli u tebia ne khvatit
Na nego - liubovnoi blagodati?

Grekh otsovskii ne karai na syne.
Sokhrani, krest'ianskaia Rossiia,
Tsarskosel'skogo iagnenka - Aleksiia!

Have any of you ever written a poem about OTMAA? Just outa curiousity.

No, I'm afraid I haven't written any poems about the IF. I'm no poet! But if I come across any poems about OTMAA I will definitely post them.

[AlyoshaSunbeam.com]

Wow that poem is really beautiful!

Does anyone have the poem actualy written in Russian?

Thanx!

~Anastacia~