Today my mother, who bore the wonderful name of Margarita, would have turned one hundred years! She was born on November 25, 1923. In this photo she is young, as was her soul. A year ago I was invited to participate in a literary reading at the Indian Embassy in Sofia, in which female authors from Bulgaria and India presented their works in their mother tongues and in English. Two of the poems I read were about my mother, and the English translation was done by my husband, Vladimir Dvoretzky, who respected my mother immensely. Today, in honour of her 100th anniversary, we publish his translations and the original on our website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Queen of the Ball<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By Gergina Dvoretzka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lights illuminate<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ceremonial hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The massive doors are opened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here comes Margarita,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Queen of the ball!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Queen of children\u2019s dreams!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And murmur of delight<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spreads through the crowd,<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the bewitched hall shines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Margarita dances,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doesn\u2019t step on the floor\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revolves in dizzying magic\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n And somebody would ask<\/p>\n\n\n\n The glowing crowd:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, who bewitched you and with what?\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is Margarita!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Queen of the ball,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lightest and gentlest soul!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And faraway from there,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind the shining rooms,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind a multitude of years and doors,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through a minute gap<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her daughter watches her,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diviner of the children\u2019s dreams\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Translated by Vladimir Dvoretzky<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ” ” ” <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0426\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0431\u0430\u043b\u0430<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u041e\u0433\u0440\u044f\u0432\u0430\u0442 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0442\u044a\u0440\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043b\u0430.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0420\u0430\u0437\u0442\u0432\u0430\u0440\u044f\u0442 \u0441\u0435 \u043c\u0430\u0441\u0438\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u041f\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0433\u0430 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0430,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0426\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0431\u0430\u043b\u0430!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0426\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u0447\u0442\u0438!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0418 \u0448\u0435\u043f\u043e\u0442 \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u044a\u0437\u0445\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0441\u0435 \u043d\u043e\u0441\u0438 \u0438\u0437 \u0442\u044a\u043b\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0430,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043e\u043c\u0430\u044f\u043d\u0430 \u0431\u043b\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0422\u0430\u043d\u0446\u0443\u0432\u0430 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0430…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u044a\u043f\u0432\u0430 \u043f\u043e \u0437\u0435\u043c\u044f\u0442\u0430…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0432\u044a\u0432 \u0448\u0435\u043c\u0435\u0442\u043d\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u0433\u0438\u044f \u0441\u0435 \u0432\u044a\u0440\u0442\u0438…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0418 \u043d\u044f\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0449\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0442\u044a\u043b\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0438\u044f\u043b\u0430:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201e\u0422\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0432\u0438 \u043e\u043c\u0430\u0433\u044c\u043e\u0441\u0430 \u0438 \u0441 \u043a\u0430\u043a\u0432\u043e?\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0422\u043e\u0432\u0430 \u0435 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0430!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0426\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0431\u0430\u043b\u0430,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u043d\u0430\u0439-\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u043e\u0442\u043e \u0438 \u043d\u0435\u0436\u043d\u043e \u0441\u044a\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0410 \u043d\u0430\u0434\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0447 \u043e\u0442\u0442\u0443\u043a\u0430,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0437\u0430\u0434 \u0431\u043b\u044f\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0438,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0437\u0430\u0434 \u043c\u043d\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0433\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0438 \u0438 \u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437 \u043c\u044a\u043d\u0438\u0447\u043a\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u043b\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u044f \u0433\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0430 \u0434\u044a\u0449\u0435\u0440\u044f \u0439,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0433\u0430\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u0447\u0442\u0438…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0413\u0435\u0440\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0430 \u0414\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0446\u043a\u0430<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another poem from my poetry collection<\/strong> “Ballad of the Phoenix Bird” from the cycle “Poems for my mother who bore the beautiful name Margarita” :<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Soul of My Mother<\/p>\n\n\n\n By Gergina Dvoretzka<\/p>\n\n\n\n The soul of my mother<\/p>\n\n\n\n Has become light<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like a feather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I tie with a string<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mum\u2019s soul<\/p>\n\n\n\n To my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The feather flies<\/p>\n\n\n\n Up where<\/p>\n\n\n\n Souls go round,<\/p>\n\n\n\n It pulls the string<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cutting my heart<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I hold fast\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n The feather strives<\/p>\n\n\n\n To go up furiously<\/p>\n\n\n\n And it overcame\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the mark that<\/p>\n\n\n\n The string left<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bleeds to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Translated by Vladimir Dvoretzky<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Both poems were published in the poetry collection “Ballad of the Phoenix Bird”, ed. “Triada”, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ” ” “<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0414\u0443\u0448\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u043c\u0430<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u043b\u0435\u043a\u0430,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0431\u043d\u043e \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0446\u0435.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0417\u0430\u0432\u044a\u0440\u0437\u0432\u0430\u043c \u0441 \u0432\u0440\u044a\u0432\u0447\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0434\u0443\u0448\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u043c\u0430<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0437\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u0439\u0442\u043e \u0441\u044a\u0440\u0446\u0435.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u041f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0430 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0446\u0435\u0442\u043e<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u043d\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440\u0435, \u043a\u044a\u0434\u0435\u0442\u043e<\/p>\n\n\n\n