Boris Pasternak's "February. Fetch the ink and cry!"

February. Fetch the ink and cry!

Write of February in tears,

While the slushy thunderous mire

Is on fire in the black spring.

For six hryvnias, send for a carriage,

Through bell tolling, rattling of wheels,

Transport yourself to where there's deluge

Even louder than ink and tears.

Where, in the manner of blackened pears,

Thousands of rooks amongst the trees

Will fall into puddles and pour

Dry grief in the depths of your eyes.

Underneath, the thawing ice darkens,

And the wind is furrowed with screams,

The more random, the more accurate

poetry is composed in tears.

Exploring Despair and Melancholy in Boris Pasternak's "February"

Boris Pasternak's poem "February" is a haunting portrayal of despair and melancholy, capturing the bleakness and desolation of the winter month. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Pasternak invites readers into a world of darkness and sorrow, where the very essence of February is suffused with despair. This essay will explore the themes of despair, isolation, and the transient nature of existence as depicted in Pasternak's poem.

The poem begins with a command to "Fetch the ink and cry!", setting the tone for the melancholic journey that follows. The speaker implores the reader to "write of February in tears," emphasizing the overwhelming sense of sorrow and desolation that permeates the month. The imagery of the "slushy thunderous mire" burning in the "black spring" paints a picture of a world in turmoil, where even the elements are in a state of chaos.

As the poem progresses, the speaker beckons the reader to "send for a carriage" "for six hryvnias," offering a means of escape from the oppressive atmosphere of February. However, the destination is not one of solace but rather one of greater despair. The imagery of the "deluge / even louder than ink and tears" suggests that there is no refuge from the sorrow that surrounds us, no matter how far we may travel.

The speaker than paints a vivid picture of nature in turmoil, with thousands of rooks falling into puddles and pouring "dry grief in the depths of your eyes." This imagery conveys a sense of the world crumbling around us, with even the birds succumbing to the weight of despair. The juxtaposition of the natural world with human emotion highlights the universality of sorrow and the transient nature of existence.

Finally, the poem concludes with a reflection on the inevitability of despair and the futility of human endeavor. The imagery of the "thawing ice darken[ing]" beneath the surface and the "wind...furrowed with screams" speaks to the inescapable nature of sorrow and the futility of trying to resist it. The idea that "the more random, the more accurate / poetry is composed in tears" suggests that true artistry can only emerge from the depths of despair, highlighting the transformative power of sorrow.

In conclusion, Boris Pasternak's "February" is a powerful exploration of despair and melancholy, capturing the bleakness and desolation of the winter month with vivid imagery and evocative language. Through the speaker's journey through the darkness of February, we are reminded of the transient nature of existence and the inevitability of despair. Yet, even in the depths of sorrow, there is beauty to be found, as true artistry emerges from the depths of despair.

Original Russian:

https://www.culture.ru/poems/14047/fevral-dostat-chernil-i-plakat

Февраль. Достать чернил и плакать!

Писать о феврале навзрыд,

Пока грохочущая слякоть

Весною черною горит.

Достать пролетку. За шесть гривен,

Чрез благовест, чрез клик колес,

Перенестись туда, где ливень

Еще шумней чернил и слез.

Где, как обугленные груши,

С деревьев тысячи грачей

Сорвутся в лужи и обрушат

Сухую грусть на дно очей.

Под ней проталины чернеют,

И ветер криками изрыт,

И чем случайней, тем вернее

Слагаются стихи навзрыд.

"Transliteration"/Pronunciation (A/a like "u" in "dust" or "cuck;" I/i like "i" in "in" or "sin"; ZH/zh like "s" in pleasure):

FeeVRAL'. DasTAT' chyerNEEL ee PLAkat'!

PeeSAT' a FYEvraLE navZRIT,

PaKA graHOchooSHuhYA SLYAkat'

VeeSNOyoo CHYORnaYOO gaREET.

DasTAT' praleetKOO. Za SHEST' GREEvin,

CHRYES blaguhVIST, CHRYES kleek kaLYOS,

PEreeNEESTEES' tooDA, GDYE leeVIN'

(Y)eeSHO shoomNYEY, chyerNEEL ee SLYOS.

GDYE, KAK aBOOGliniye GRUSHI,

SdeeRYEvyif TISyiCHI graCHYEY

SarVOOTsaV LOOZHI ee aBROOshat

SooHOOyoo GROOST' naDNO aCHEY.

Pad NYEY praTAleeNI CHERnyeYOOT,

ee VYEtir KREEkaMEE izRIT,

ee CHYEM slooCHAYnee, TYEM vyerNYEye

SlaGAyootsa steeHEE navZRIT.