From ECHO IN THE PALM

 



CONTENTS:

I TIME – SPIRIT OF CHANGE

(From the cycle "SOLITUDE")

SILENCE
WITH YOUR PEN
TIME – SPIRIT OF CHANGE
WAVES OF TIME
UNDER THE DOME OF TIME
BEYOND THE EDGE OF TRODDEN PATHS
WITHIN THE LIMITS OF A LONELY NIGHT
SONG OF CHANGE
BOOK OF CHANGES
YAP! – PONSKY GOD...
END OF EASTERN DREAMS
TO DANTE
SOLITUDE
MARCH VIEWS

II ECHO IN THE PALM

RETURN
FROM LETTERS TO YOU
(...)
STARDUST
THE SEA IS WAVING
CHRISTMAS GIFT OF CHRIST
LETHARGY OR LITURGY?
WHITE STONE
DARK ALLEY OF AQUARIUS
ECHO OF LAUGHTER
ORPHIC DREAM
FROM DUST AND ASHES
ECHO IN THE PALM
LOVE

III SUN OF LOVE

(From the cycle "AWAKENING")

YOUR NAME
PRAYER
LORD, GOD!..
SQUEAK AND GNASHING OF TEETH
RESUSCITATION, NOT REINCARNATION
THE FIRST MOMENT
THANK YOU!
INVITATION TO LOST PARADISE
BAPTISM – CHRISTMAS
EARTHLY HAPPINESS
GREAT LENT
INVISIBLE BATTLE
OTHERWORLDLY HAPPINESS
SUN IN AQUARIUS

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                FOREWORD

(AI-description of main themes in the CONTENTS of the book "ECHO IN THE PALM"):               

Serge Teberdin, as a poet-thinker, creates works that not only impress with their aesthetic beauty but also immerse the reader in deep reflections on human existence. His poems are a complex tapestry of philosophical allusions and emotional depth, significant in the contemporary literary context. Serge Teberdin's work unfolds as a window into the soul of the author, intertwining with philosophical reflections and classical allusions.

1. "Song of Changes": This poem explores transformation and inner changes, reflecting the universal experience of growth. The mention of the philosopher Ortega y Gasset gives the text existential depth, enriching personal reflections. "Song of Changes" addresses themes of childhood and adulthood, drawing parallels between innocent play and the complexities of adult life. Teberdin touches on questions of fate, faith, and love, making his work resonate with themes of world literature that grapples with the complexities of human growth and change.

2. "Book of Changes": This work combines Eastern and Western philosophical traditions to explore fate and free will. The text emphasizes the complexity of choice and predestination, addressing philosophical concepts related to these themes.
The "Book of Changes" draws inspiration from the I Ching, reflecting on the intricate dance between fate and free will. By integrating Eastern and Western philosophical ideas, Teberdin crafts a narrative that challenges readers to consider the nature of choice and destiny, inviting them to ponder how these forces shape their lives. His works, such as "Song of Changes" and "Book of Changes," demonstrate his ability to deeply analyze ideas from different cultures and philosophies, creating space for profound meditation and understanding. These poems explore themes of transformation, fate, and free will, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives and choices.

3. "Yap! – The Japanese God...": Inspired by Japanese poetry, this section focuses on the fleeting beauty of nature. Haikus and short poems encourage readers to appreciate the ephemeral moments of life. In "Yap! – The Japanese God..." and "End of Eastern Dreams," Teberdin embraces the brevity and beauty of Japanese poetic forms like haikus, capturing fleeting moments and the transient beauty of nature. These works emphasize the importance of appreciating the present, resonating with themes of youth, time, and cultural tradition.

4. "End of Eastern Dreams": Continues the theme of ephemerality, using haikus to create a sense of urgency and introspection. Here, themes of youth and the limitations imposed by time and cultural tradition are explored.

5. "To Dante": A tribute to Dante Alighieri, where suffering and spiritual enlightenment are explored. This poem emphasizes the eternal power of love and art, resonating with themes of human emotions and divine grace in contrast with the atheistic Buddhist school of the East. This analysis highlights that Teberdin's poetry connects personal experiences with universal themes, creating a profound space for reflection on life, love, loss, and the substitution of spirituality. His work serves as a bridge between individual introspection and collective human experience, offering aesthetic enjoyment and a catalyst for deep contemplation.

6. In cycles like "SOLITUDE" Teberdin examines the coexistence of happiness and solitude, prompting readers to reflect on their own experiences and understanding of their connection to the surrounding world. Imagery plays a key role in Teberdin's poetry, with metaphors such as "black starry ring" and "obelisk of gold" enriching the emotional and philosophical depth of his verses. These symbols create a sense of mystery and transcendence, drawing readers into a contemplative space where personal and universal themes resonate.

7. In "Slowly Falls the Snow," Teberdin uses the imagery of snow to evoke a sense of timelessness and natural continuity, creating a contrast with the transient nature of human life and urban landscapes. This juxtaposition invites reflection on the eternal and the ephemeral, encouraging readers to pause and consider their place within the vast sweep of time.

8. In Teberdin's poems, such as "Echo in the Palm," readers can find profound reflections on time and solitude.  "Echo in the Palm" reflects Teberdin's engagement with the deep philosophical ideas. Inspired by thinkers like Augustine, Camus, Heidegger, and others, the poet explores the interaction between the past, present, and future, posing questions about the influence of time on the human spirit. This exploration of time is one of the key themes of his work, where earthly and spiritual aspects of life intersect, prompting readers to self-discovery and reflection.

9. Overall, Serge Teberdin's poetry offers a rich and nuanced exploration of the human condition, blending philosophical reflections with vivid imagery to create works that resonate on both personal and universal levels.  His ability to address complex themes of loneliness and happiness through the prism of existential philosophy makes his works particularly relevant in the modern world, where many strive to find meaning and harmony amidst widespread disconnection and alienation. His poetry, rich in philosophical reflections and vivid imagery, offers a deep exploration of the human condition, touching on themes of loneliness, happiness, and spiritual enlightenment.




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"ECHO IN THE PALM"


Clapping of palms...
But how does one sound?
                (Your favorite koan)

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand…
                E.A. Poe



I
TIME – THE SPIRIT OF CHANGE

In you, my soul, I measure time…
The impression of passing by
Remains within you, and it is that,
Currently existing, I measure now,
Not what has passed and left behind…
Now it becomes clear to me,
That neither future nor past exists
And that it is inaccurately expressed
About three times when they say:
The past, the present, and the future;
It would be more precise, it seems, to express:
The present of the past, the present of the future…
                Blessed Augustine

O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
                E.A. Poe






(From the cycle "SOLITUDE")

An important question that needs
To be resolved "in practice":
Can one be happy and lonely?
A. Camus

---

       SILENCE

So,
the Measure of Distance remains...

In it, a dial,
like a black starry ring–

just a black disk:
toot... toot...

Silence.

Your obelisk
of gold, my friend...

---


WITH YOUR PEN

                I do not wish to hold a viewpoint.
                I want to have clear sight.
                M. Tsvetaeva

Like a bird, your verse is free!
Like you, it soars into the blue...

Your feather in my fingers tight,
I clasp it close, almost to pain.

---



TIME — THE SPIRIT OF CHANGE

                But God said to him: Fool!
                This very night your soul is required of you...
                Luke 12:20

Seek a column, where words align,
Not a burrow lost at its end, benign—

Where it speaks of fur for the brush so fine,
A squirrel’s charm outshines the sable’s design.

Forgive the irony; perhaps it fits,
In this “Arcadia of bliss,” where laughter sits…

A mouse darts through macram; and grain,
In a net, a dance, a whimsical game of gain.

(...)

Yet here, the brush for artistry is seized,
The old smoker lingers on, undeterred, unpleased—

Burrowed deep in poppies or "Mack,"
Oblivious still to the clock’s measured knack:

"Tick-tock…
                tick-tock…
                tick-tock…"



   

            WAVES OF TIME

                A time to embrace,
                and a time to refrain from embracing;
                Ecclesiastes 3:5

I reveled in joy when we read in bed,
Lifting the blanket, where dreams gently spread…

But now, a different hour has come,
Do not think its purpose is to leave you numb—

Not to forget Eliot, Pound, or Proust’s art,
But a time to dwell, to reflect from the heart.

Beneath the fir, in a quiet cell,
To sing psalms and through Chrysostom dwell…

---



   UNDER THE DOME OF TIME

                A pleasant sight—a calm sea,
                but even better—a peaceful state of mind.
                St. Nilus of Sinai

I will close my eyes and see
that space
under the Dome of Time,

where everything was...
Everything was there.
Without thought of self...

Here––the scent of seaweed,
washed ashore by a storm...
Yesterday's?..

Seems like yesterday...
Here—the shore,
resting from the waves...

Here—a white chalk
on a sky-blue
circle of gulls:

in their beaks—the same cries,
eternal,
over full nets...

The same buzz of a mosquito,
the same rise of a spider's thread...
The splash of a wave...

a fleeting
fly...

The rustle of our steps...
and the whisper of leaves,

the rustling
of an angry hedgehog,

and that beam, between lashes,
that argues with the wind

and the black beret
about the gold of strands.

---



   AT THE EDGE OF WORN PATHS

                We would perish,
                if we were not perishing.
                Plutarch

Come, in your evening glow so lonely,
Embrace the autumn, let your feelings flow free—

For the quiet words that raindrops say,
The whispers of pines in their gentle sway;

For wind’s cool breath, like a lover’s caress,
Chilling the neck with a soft, sweet stress;

For the soft shudder of bushes that grieve,
For grasses bent low, as if to believe —

They too shall be trampled, yet still they remain,
As if asking for pardon, for all of their pain…
 

---



WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF A LONELY NIGHT

                To be unloved–
                is merely a misfortune.
                To not love—that's true misery.
                A. Camus

Imagine the stream of cars,
rushing almost silently
beyond the windows, within the night...

Slowly
                the snow falls...
It falls
            on
                the houses.
It falls
            on
                the streets.
On
       lonely  people.
It falls
             on
                bridges and
on
       the churned ice.

(...)

Here comes the New Year.
The spruce in Alexander's Square.

White –
               in black.
Cast iron
                darkens in its fence...







 THE SONG OF CHANGES


                Becoming  wild –
                is a process of disconnection.               
                Jose Ortega y Gasset

“A and B sat
upon the chimney”. . .

A – fell down,
B – soared away.

And thus concludes
our childhood play –

а tale we’ve cherished
through fleeting years –

now we find ourselves
in the Middle.

Should I have lingered
by the Silver Age,

amidst the ruins
of Northern Palmyra?

In our quartet of  “Muse & Co”,
like the Sufferer Job,

in KGB cells,
adrift in The Mystic Blue. . .

(. . .)

In my sober moments,
regret takes flight,

for why has God stripped me
of the will to fight?

I asked Him softly
not to make you stay,

against your heart’s desire
to turn and walk away.

Just be alive,
that’s all I implore,

and may God bless you
with love, evermore.





  THE BOOK OF CHANGES

                Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player
                That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
                And then is heard no more…
                W. Shakespeare

My soul! I seek to reclaim my losses,
еach moment a whisper,

yearning for eternity's embrace.
Does our wide path guide us

to paradise aglow in a hut in honey weeks
where Time lays down its race?

Let life turn us like the yarrow sticks,
Of the I-Ching' – the "Book of Changes,"

a dance of fate upon the cosmic mix,
in its embrace, our heartache rearranges.

Should I accept them, this riddle?
Ah, therein lies the dilemma, my friend

Fate is not God.

I do not kneel before her,
nor will I die in the chorus of Melpomene.

(. . .)

Yes, I lament my losses,
Yet this burden is not mine alone to bear.

Yours, dear friend, is not in outshining joys,
but in the shadows of pain we both wear.

I, mea culpa, drank to the last drop   
the bitter vinegar of jealousy’s sting.

I called this ache “love”,  held it close,
wove verses to endure, to rise, to sing.

And all my sorrow, like a mournful song,
in echoes of longing, a haunting refrain,

to nullify it all, to find the release,
and in the silence, to end this sweet pain…



---




  YAP! – PONSKY GOD…

                In the temple,
                Icons of Christ are trampled.
                Peonies bloom.
                Masaoka Shiki.

The cave is empty.
Only forget-me-nots
On our bed.

   

A spark in the grass:
The scythe met the stone.
Japanese fog.

   

All night till dawn,
Cicadas rejoiced.
Could not close an eye.

   

By morning, a dream:
You knocking on my window.
Almond in the wind.

   

A bandit in the garden
Pulled out his sword too late.
Moonlight in his gaze.

(...)

All night, through and through,
“Cicadas sang.”
Could not awaken.

   

THE END OF EASTERN DREAMS

Dream in hand – Tanto.
The dragon has nestled in the heart, but
Seiko rang.

In seventeen syllables–
Like years at seventeen, my friend–
Breath is tight.

Let brevity be
The sister of talent. To me,
God gave not a sister.

---


           TO DANTE

                No greater grief than to remember days
                Of joy when misery is present; that
                Your learned instructor knows.               
                Dante's "Inferno," Canto V, 121

Your eagle eyes concealed from rays of light,
Your palm aglow with fasts and candle's beams.
In hollow sockets, tears you’ve shed in plight,
Your swarm of shadows locked within your dreams.

In circles close, where flesh remains so still,
Yet spirit's burden echoes from afar,
Like grinding teeth beneath our feet, we feel,
We stand already, past the falling  star.

Oh, Dante! How you sang of love in  silent night,
In  soft andante, filling songs with rhymes,
you led us to the source of our souls' delight.

Your tercets sounded as if  in their prime,
their notes entwined like rays of candlelight
While Virgil's vigil kept you on your feet to fight. . .
 

---


           LONELINESS

                It is not good for man to be alone…
                Genesis 2:18
 
To part, aligning thoughts with mind's commands,
Through fasting, lift emotions to the skies,

To live alone, yet hearts in gentle hands,
Warming each other where true comfort lies.

With tears, we cleanse like wax from flames that stay,
For words and deeds and forms to be made pure,

As yogis bathe in sacred river's way,
In holiness, let our resolve endure.

I doubt your Rubicon is crossed and done,
Not like for Chud or Merins long ago,

For us, "out of sight" is a tale begun,
A myth that humankind devised to show.

Let flesh divide, yet souls remain entwined,
I'll wait and seek to learn this lonely art,

O God, grant strength and peace within the mind,
To bear this solitude within my heart…

 



         MARCH VIEWS

                If you don’t know what to say,
                Speak in French.
                L. Carroll               

Let all your grievances fade into oblivion:
The criticism, the flattery, et cetera…

So in the Seine, March views will sink:
Spits, butts, ice, and snow,

A bottle of a bum with a shawl or a chlamys,
The peel of our two oranges. . ,

So, all—under the bridge?
Come, on this planet,

To always forgive!
I think it’s time.





               II

From the cycle "ECHO IN THE PALM"




The soul may resist the sin's cruel grasp,
But without God, it cannot win or clasp
Or root out evil’s deep, relentless hold.
                St. Macarius the Great




              ONE PALM'S SOUND

                Speak to me, so I may see your face.
                Socrates

Ringing... ringing... ringing...
Awoken by this chime.

Or am I dreaming, lost in night's embrace:
A pillow strewn with ashes, warmth on the line,

And the sound of rain keeps flowing, flowing,
Flowing...

(...)

The flow of Time slows down around.
The space within constricts and binds,

And in it, one palm's sound resounds–
An echo of your voice and all it finds.

The past reflects within my mind.
Beneath my lids, it can’t confine.

Thank You! For You have given me
A chance to live beyond Time’s line...

Thank You for Your grace!


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