Russian poet and TV presenter Dmitry Bykov in interview of the UNIAN reports compared the events of may 2, 2014 from Beslan, told, why considers the Odessa city of tragic fate, and which of the Ukrainian poets would like to talk.
Dmitry Bykov often happens in Ukraine, and in Odessa in particular. However, from interviews and press conferences, poet-opposition, as a rule, refused. But not this time. In an interview to UNIAN, he told how the tragic fate of Odessa Odessa coexists with the eternal holiday, why its teaching loves journalism, and what considerations had to avoid meeting with Putin at his birthday.
UNIAN: once in “the New newspaper” have you published a devastating article on the subject of the Odessa myth, stating that the city is in spiritual decline, living on interest from capital, exploiting five stories and a play of Isaac Babel, two novels of Ilf and Petrov from Odessa humor sick for a long time, as it is awfully monotonous and stuff…
Dmitry Bykov: Yes, I wrote there that the myth of Odessa cannot be exploited indefinitely. Then many of the citizens have offended, now, many Odessans agree. I have come to the conclusion that to some, my idea became apparent, must pass a period of four to five years. This does not mean that the uptake is faster than anyone, it means I don’t refuse yourself sometimes to speak directly. Yes, the myth of Odessa is over, you need to create a new and now it is, as the forces build.
— What do you see new Odessa myth?
— That the Odessa — rich, cosmopolitan, open-world seaside town, a resort and shopping, with an unusually tragic past. It’s tragic past is somehow included as a component in the continuous celebration of Odessa. The past is the civil war (in the early 20th century — approx. ed.) that swept through Odessa here and there in different waves, and occupation (during the Second world war — approx. ed.), the destruction of almost the entire Jewish population when he was less than a tenth of… that Is an incredible cruelty, the destruction, and then Odessa, of course, the same would not never.
And after the fire in the trade unions Building, which is also a black shadow lies on the town’s past… Although everyone understood the scenario of how everything happened, the court still was not, and the final truth is still not told. It rekonstruiruet few HR professionals and the main culprits of the tragedy, as we know, escaped safely. So a lot of unknown.
Odessa — a city with a tragic past and everything, with the immortal spirit. The city, which is very important, very separate from the whole Ukraine in General. The city-state, the coastal capital, symmetrical, at the time, Petersburg — South centre of the Empire, built, incidentally, by the same geometric principles. How would a successful attempt of Catherine to stand on a par with Peter. So for me, the city, which, in any case, now actively in the process of building a new image. And I think that young Odessa, which during this time was born — a gorgeous, smart talented local youth — it quickly this way was completed the drawing.
— You mentioned the fire at the Odessa trade unions Building on may 2, 2014. But that day the riots that led to the deaths of 48 people, started in another place… What do you know about all this?
— Enough. Believe me, I’ve seriously studied the issue because of speculation on this topic is a huge number. All that you can read on the Internet, I read about it. It is clear to me that there was a tragedy that nobody foresaw. Because really, how is my version of reading most sources, the local authorities in a certain way agreed: someone will be in camp on Kulikovo field, and some of his money slightly pogroms. But the situation got out of control. She could not get out of control, because the shooting started…
Happened here, in Beslan, when agreed with the terrorists, who came from the framework [agreement]. In Odessa, there was a similar situation. This story is bitter, tragic and guilt cannot be removed either, nor on the other hand. Although independence will always be to blame for what happened, obviously initiated by people who wanted to join Odessa to the “new Russia”. This, fortunately, did not happen, but at what cost. Here it is necessary to remember. I repeat: Odessa is a city with a tragic shadow on her face. And this tragic shadow we will not rinse off.
— During his last visit to Odessa at the recital you are talking about the candidate in presidents of the United States Donald trump, said, they say, want to win to eliminate “such a precedent for the next 2 thousand years”… Well, as you can see, the wishes of the poet are taken into account. How about the future President of the Russian Federation?
— The precedent was created. I think long enough.
— Get away from politics. You are engaged in the research work of this brilliant writers, has written several books, including, Mayakovsky, Pasternak, Okudzhava, what conclusions have you made for yourself? As stated, in my favorite novel “Master and Margarita” (this is important): “The worst sin is fear”. With fear to fight. The worst of human sin is cowardice. How to fight your fears?
All strangers should be interested in not the process but the result. The result is achieved, and what was the process my intimate secrets.
— And what is most unacceptable for you personally?
— Schadenfreude.
— They say you twice refused a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation. This is the result?
— I did not refuse from any of the meetings. Once I was invited when I was physically unable to be there, was in Voronezh the presentations and the meeting was in Perm. Another time it was moved. The meeting fell on the birthday of the President, and I arranged that on the day of birth can not tell the President unpleasant things. I would come up and said, “Good day, I wish you health”. This immediately has got to the press, and I would be accused of sycophancy. So, no, I’m not so brave as you think, and it’s very good.
— Why his teaching work I deem it more useful than journalism?
Journalism operates in a very narrow range of people. And most importantly, informing that she is not forcing them to change, a pedagogy makes. That is, people reading books, acquire some new quality. In General, the literature operates on the minds of a lot stronger than journalism. Therefore, a feasible explanation of the literature or of her writings, what I mainly do, it’s better. Journalism is a very good thing for me personally. It’s a wonderful way to see the world and communicate with smart people. But teaching is the way to be always young, with people who are interested in really serious things. We have interesting money, health, and love, death and the meaning of life. And I try to be more with them and not with their peers because the peers I’m old, and young.
— So, you do not share, for example, the popular belief that modern teenagers have a kind of “dumb” sense of humor?
— Sense of humor is dumb. Modern teenagers have a great sense of humor and many other wonderful feelings. Modern teenagers is the result of evolution, and I would be happy if they took me into its bright future.
— If you give them the right books, it will improve development.
— Unfortunately, people of the books they read depends not more than the amount eaten food. People do not depend on the good and evil that he sees. People exactly depends on one parameter, faced it with a miracle or not. Because a miracle shows him the relativity of its concepts and the limitations of his consciousness. If it can be somehow directed to the good, do the evolution, then the only one way a confrontation with the incomprehensible, that the Strugatsky brothers showed very clearly. But this was known to them — Jesus Christ clearly showed. How can anything be taught but if you once in front of them walk on water and resurrect the dead, it will work. This does not mean that they are caught on a miracle. They are caught and the victim, to the sacrifice. About it, in fact, the movie Alexis Herman “Hard to be God” (set in a sci-Fi novel by the Strugatsky about events on another planet Arkanar in the state where there exists a civilization with the level of development corresponding to the earth’s late middle Ages — approx. ed.).
— What to do to save Arkanar?
To die in front of arkanara. There is no other option. Here the answer is more cruel than the strugatskys. It is more accurate. I really love this picture, when it would not begin to look, can not break away.
Is there something you once forbade his children?
To my son Andrew I was not allowed ever to learn to drive, and a lot of it to spend time. As a result, he had been sent the night on long trips and ride girls. In General, the car spends a lot more time than I’d like. He was forbidden to come home late 8 PM, and he never came before 24:00. Life forbade him to bring someone to spend the night, and still all night, and sleep, and would spend the night. When Andrew was twelve, he asked: “Why did you never tell me anything about the school? Are you afraid of me?” “No. It’s you I’m afraid,” he said. Since I did not try to educate him. Daughters were forbidden to make a mess in her room. I went in there, raked all the rubbish in a bag and carried away. The daughter went after me in tears, Ishida from the bag items. And I realized, finally, that it is not chaos, but a finely organized in the order in which I do not understand. Then spat this business and now she is happy with this mess already in the apartment of her fiance. And God forbid her health.
— How to instill in your child a love of poetry?
Why? It is absolutely not necessary. Is an elite occupation. It is not for everyone.
— Is it possible to nurture poetic talent?
— Of course not. It must be born.
— At what age do you write?
— With six years.
— Your works always with deep meaning, but easy when you read what lies behind this move?
Just work a lot, learned a lot. Therefore, my texts, hope does not leave a smell of sweat labor. The impression of lightness to me is very pleasant. If it were otherwise — would write easily, and the impression was created of naturlist, that would be monstrous.
— Where do you draw inspiration?
— It does not depend on any condition, nor from the era, and more — from the weather and geography. There are a few places that always come up with poems. In their number — one beach in Odessa, near the Dolphinarium.
— Who of famous Ukrainians, living or dead, would you want to meet?
From the past, of course, with Lesja Ukrainka, which is my favorite poet. I would be interested a lot to talk about with Mikhail Kotsyubinsky. Of living — it is very difficult to say, perhaps, with Serhiy Zhadan. As far as I know, we’re in October should do a joint evening. Here then, probably, finally, let’s talk. He is a very good poet and I will be interested to talk with him.
