Humor Poem by Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Humor
Tsars, Kings, Emperors,
sovereigns of all the earth,
have commanded many a parade,
but they could not command humor.
When Aesop, the tramp, came visiting
the palaces of eminent personages
ensconced in sleek comfort all day,
they struck him as paupers.
In houses, where hypocrites have
left the smear of their puny feet,
there Hodja-Nasr-ed-Din, with his jests,
swept clean all meanness
like a board of chessmen!
They tried to commission humor-
but humor is not to be bought!
They tried to murder humor,
but humor thumbed his nose at them!
It’s hard to fight humor.
They executed him time and again.
His hacked-off head
was stuck on the point of a pike.
But as soon as the mummer’s pipes
began their quipping tale,
humor defiantly cried:
'I’m back, I’m here! ',
and started to foot a dance.
in an overcoat, shabby and short,
with eyes cast down and a mask of repentance,
he, a political criminal,
now under arrest, walked to his execution.
He appeared to submit in every way,
accepting the life-beyond,
but of a sudden he wriggled out of his coat,
and, waving his hand, did a bolt.
Humor was shoved into cells,
but much good that did.
Humor went straight through
prison bars and walls of stone.
Coughing from the lungs
like any man in the ranks,
he marched singing a popular ditty,
rifle in hand upon the Winter Palace.
He’s accustomed to frowning looks,
but they do him no harm;
and humor at times with humor
glances at himself.
He’s everpresent. Nimble and quick,
he’ll slip through anything, through everyone.
So- glory be to humor.
He- is a valiant man.
Translated by George Reavey
Humor has such a beautiful part in life and poem good.
Living in the Soviet era humor would have been an endangered species, but I guess it triumphed. This is one of those poems you never forget.
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST: Yevtushenko's portrayal of humor as an unwavering and subversive entity underscores its significance in challenging oppressive systems and maintaining the human spirit. Through humor, the poem suggests, individuals can find solace, resistance, and even liberation.
The poem concludes with a tribute to humor's ever-presence and nimbleness, celebrating it as a valiant force that cannot be extinguished.
Despite attempts to commission or eliminate humor, it remains elusive. Executed time and again, humor resurfaces, thumbing its nose at authority. It slips through prison bars and stone walls, marching with resilience and defiance.
Humor, represented by the character Hodja-Nasr-ed-Din, cleanses hypocrisy and meanness like a chessboard swept clean of pieces.
In the poem, Yevtushenko portrays humor as a force that transcends social hierarchies. Tsars, kings, and emperors may command grand parades, but they remain powerless when it comes to humor. Even the tramp Aesop, who visits the palaces of the wealthy and influential, perceives them as paupers.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/24/2024 2:14:03 PM # 1.0.0.1119
I would cry if I was not laughing so hard! The cosmic joke...indeed.