Sprinkles

«இருபத்து ஆறு»

quick guide:

Yulka (pronounced yool'ka)

Zinka (pronounced zeenka)

Orsha (a city in Russia)

coat (it wasn't really translated correctly because there's no such thing in English, it was originally kinda like a very large baggy uniform, similar to a petticoat)

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We lay down by the broken fir tree

To wait for the first light of dawn.

Under one coat we kept warm

On the chilled, damp ground.

"You know, Yulka, I seldom am sad

But I do feel so sad today:

Home, far away, amidst apple orchards

My old mother waits for me.

"To her it seems that every tiny bush

Pines for her restless daughter.

You know, Yulka, I seldom am sad

But I do feel so sad today."

We had barely time to warm up

When came the sudden marching order.

Again, in a coat beside me

Marched the fair-haired soldier.

Without singing, pep talks or colors

Our division went into battle,

And our battered battalion

Was surrounded in Orsha.

Our Zinka led us in the attack.

We broke through a black field of rye,

Running across bomb craters and gullies

Toward death-dealing enemy trenches.

We didn't seek posthumous fame -

Wanting to live covered with glory!

So why the blood-soaked bandages

On the prone fair-haired soldier?

I clenched my teeth as I covered

Her still body with my coat,

And Belorussian winds mournfully sang

Of far-away apple orchards in Ryazan'...

"You know, Zinka, I seldom am sad,

But I do feel so sad today:

At home, far away, amidst apple orchards

Your old mother waits for you.

"I've had friends and I've had a lover,

But you were her only daughter.

The cabin smells of bread dough and smoke;

Spring is seething beyond the door."

In a flowered dress, the old woman

Lit up a candle in front of Zinka's portrait...

I just can't bring myself to write her

And tell her not to wait for you.

     - ZINKA by Yulia Drunina

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a/n: this is gonna be a long so feel free to skip it if you want. i just wanted to explain this poem a bit. this poem was originally it was written in russian, if you haven't guessed that already. this is just the translated version. as much as i hate my russian tutoring, i have to admit that it's a beautiful and powerful language.

the reason im sharing this is because today was Victory Day, the day World War 2 ended. Russia lost more ppl than any other country. the author of this poem was a sweet 16-year old girl when she went into war as a combat nurse (is that what they're called?). her friend Zinka died in front of her and it's something that she never forgot. after the war she became a famous poet, married, had a kid, and then got married again. however she had a very tough life and was forever haunted by the war. in the end she decided she couldn't handle it anymore and she committed suicide.

this is just the story of one girl. many other young girls and boys suffered, and brave soldiers died. though the day is technically already over (it's 1am) i want you guys to know about this holiday if you didn't already <3