Standing Tall
Ilya Yashin shared a poem on 9/26/23:
I want to share with you a poem that a girl sent me in prison the other day and which made an impression on me. The author of these lines is journalist Elena Vladimirova, who was arrested in 1937 and served her sentence in Kolyma until 1955.
***
We walked in stages. And more than once
shouting to the column: “Stop!” —
sit down on the ground, in the snow and mud,
ordered the convoy.
And indifferent and dumb,
like dumb cattle
we squatted
to the shout: “Forward!”
We have to go through a hundred shipments
had to during this period!
And new people are on the way
joined our stream...
And once it happened among us,
bending down again,
one who listened to the order
and continued to stand.
And although he also knew the rules,
on the way, credited to us,
he stood as if he had not heard,
everything is just as simple and direct.
Calm, straightforward and very simple,
among those bowed down,
the man stood tall,
above us looking up.
Bypassing the lower rows,
The guard took aim.
“Sit down!” But he didn’t sit down.
It was so quiet that you couldn't hear
could we hearts move.
And suddenly the guard shouted: “Get up!
Column, march forward!
And again we kneaded the dirt,
not knowing where,
who, laughing with relief,
who is pale with shame.
By camp - where to whom?
we were pushed apart
and even his name
I didn't have to find out.
But to me, tall and straight,
remembered forever -
above our bent crowd
standing man.
***
How do you like it? In my opinion, a lot.
P.S. My drawing.
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