BOOK REVIEW: New collection of poems with universal significance
Yar Slavutych. Three Narratives and Six Poems. Slavuta Publishers: Edmonton, 1992. 64 pages.
by Dr. Wolodymyr Zyla
Yar Slavutych is one of the better known poets in the Ukrainian diaspora today. His 30 years of creativity in Canada have been well documented in various literary journals, anthologies, and in individual collections. He deserves high praise, of course, for his hard work and his poetic ability. As a poet he is a deeply cultured, sensitive lyricist; he thus possesses qualities rare in our modern poetry.
The first rendition of Mr. Slavutych's poetry in English appeared in 1959, and titled "Oasis: Selected Poems," translated by Morse Manly. In 1974, "The Conquerors of the Prairies," was published in Edmonton, translated by the Australian poet R. H. Morrison. This collection had a second edition which appeared in 1984 with the addition of the long poem "Plaint," translated by Roman Orest Tatchyn and the ballad "The Three," rendered by Zoria Orionna. The book was well received by critics and had generally very positive reviews.
This third book of English translations is the collection "Three Narratives and Six Poems." It includes the long versified narratives "Solovetsky Prisoner," "Plaint" and "Daughter Without a Name," and is also translated by Mr. Tatchyn. It also includes five short lyrical poems, translated by Orysia Ferbey, and a poem, "Trophies," translated by the late Watson Kirkconnell.
The narrative "The Solovetsky Prisoner" is of exceptional value because it vividly describes the 25 years of superhuman sufferings of the last leader of the Zaporozhian Kozaks, Petro Kalnyshevsky, perfidiously incarcerated by the order of the Russian ruler, Catherine II. It presents cruelty that is hardly imaginable:
No less sorrowful is the narrative "Plaint," which portrays the fate of an exile and a dreamer, the first Ukrainian settler in the U.S., the Rev. Agapius Honcharenko. Cruelty is again featured in the narrative "Daughter Without a Name." Here the intensity of feeling and the originality of presentation make the poem memorable. The poem calls for tolerance and understanding for the average human being.
To translate such poems is not easy - especially when trying to recreate the originals and to render strict, full-sounding rhymes. Mr. Tatchyn, a specialist in electronics, did successfully convey the meaning of the original, but was not so successful insofar as rhyme is concerned. Comparing his translations with the Ukrainian originals, one can see that he preserves quite well the rhythm and the general tonality of the originals. His vocabulary is well selected and in most cases adequately represents Mr. Slavutych's originals. However, we find some shortcomings in conveying the author's profound emotional reaction to certain historical events and in his reflections concerning artifacts that surround his heroes. But, this objection is less serious when considered in terms of the over-all character of the abovementioned poems.
The translations of short lyrics by Ms. Ferbey are adequate. Here the rhyme scheme is well preserved. The translator is very sensitive to the original vocabulary, especially in its selection and proper use.
The collection ends with the sonnet "Trophies," translated by Mr. Kirkconnell, a renowned Canadian poet. He most skillfully rendered the last six lines of the work which are not only memorable but are also indicative of Slavutych's future:
The collection is an appropriate one for the English reader, for it provides poems with universal significance.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 31, 1993, No. 5, Vol. LXI
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