Joseph Brodsky reads 'Odysseus to Telemachus'

Odysseus to Telemachus.
Written and read by Jospeh Brodsky (Ио́сиф Алекса́ндрович Бро́дский)
Haphazard editing by me.
Audio file from 'A Century of Recorded Verse, vol 4'

Image 1: Telemachus and Menor, by Pablo E. Fabisch (1699)
Image 2: Joseph Brodsky, by Mikhail Lemkhin
Image 3: The Return ofTelemachus, by Angelica Kauffmann (1770-80)
Image 4: Joseph Brodsky in Leningrad 1964
Image 5: The Reunion of Odysseus and Temachus, by Henri-Lucien Doucet

The Poem:

My dear Telemachus,
The Trojan War
is over now; I don't recall who won it.
The Greeks, no doubt, for only they would leave
so many dead so far from their own homeland.
But still, my homeward way has proved too long.
While we were wasting time there, old Poseidon,
it almost seems, stretched and extended space.

I don't know where I am or what this place
can be. It would appear some filthy island,
with bushes, buildings, and great grunting pigs.
A garden choked with weeds; some queen or other.
Grass and huge stones . . . Telemachus, my son!
To a wanderer the faces of all islands
resemble one another. And the mind
trips, numbering waves; eyes, sore from sea horizons,
run; and the flesh of water stuffs the ears.
I can't remember how the war came out;
even how old you are--I can't remember.

Grow up, then, my Telemachus, grow strong.
Only the gods know if we'll see each other
again. You've long since ceased to be that babe
before whom I reined in the plowing bullocks.
Had it not been for Palamedes' trick
we two would still be living in one household.
But maybe he was right; away from me
you are quite safe from all Oedipal passions,
and your dreams, my Telemachus, are blameless.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• poetry
• odysseus
• telemachus
• poetry reading
• russian poet
• joseph brodsky

[TheGlitzieGirl1]

I cannot believe that you have used pictures by Pablo Fabisch!  Please tell me where you saw them? He is my friend's uncle and we are trying to find his pictures!

[alejosoini]

and serious snooze fest, we has to survives,

for dest sarion ney

we snooze for fifteen minutes a day. at least once

when the blood they pay, with hope

and cardinal knowledge for all

egg! an eggs with hardboiled

egg whites. dangerous megaphone alarm

[alejosoini]

and serious snooze fest, we has to survives,

for dest sarion ney

we snooze for fifteen minutes a day. at least once

when the blood they pay, with hope

and cardinal knowledge for all

[RossMcCague]

Have always admired him and heard him often.

Season of Stealth blog

Chainlessway youtube

[modemajeur]

it's interesting to hear Joseph's english reading, 'cause it's quite different from his russian one.

thank you.

[YouMayCallMeVV]

Brodsky is so brilliant - I'm glad you found and posted this!

[zalodub]

thank you so much! I've never heard Brodsky reading in english)

[qxr1011]

Very nice !

Thank you.