Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin (21 Septembe1895 – 28 December 1925) was a Russian lyrical poet . He was one of the most popular and well known Russian poet of the 20th century.His first book of poems ,Ritual for the dead( Radunitsa in Russian)was published in 1916 .Together with Anatoly Marienhof, they founded Russian literary movement of imaginism.Imaginists created poetry based on sequences of arresting and uncommon images. They widely used metaphors, sometimes producing long chains of them in their poems.He also took part in World War I.
He is also known for his dramatic suicide.Yesenin suffered from alcoholism,experienced a mental breakdown and was hospitalized for a month .Almost immediately after his release , he hanged himself from the heating pipes in his room . Before committing suicide, Sergei Yesenin wrote a poem in his own blood.
Goodbye, my friend, goodbye
My love, you are in my heart.
It was preordained we should part
And be reunited by and by.
Goodbye, my friend, without pens or words.
: no handshake to endure. Let’s have no sadness — furrowed brow.
There’s nothing new in dying now
Though living is no newer.
Death is inevitable.Death is tragic .Death is also an escape from reality and from deep sorrow for some people . Death of a loved one leaves a deep imprint on your mind and soul forever. Different people have different perspective towards death . Some embrace it and some abhor it . Some are strong and some are weak in the face of death. Death not only affects the person who died but also his friends and family .
Yesenin’s farewell poem, shows that he understands how deep a impact his death will have on his friends and family . Rather than writing about the mental anguish he was obviously going through he chose to write comforting words for his friends.He was at peace with his decision and the actions he was about to take, his disturbed mind was widely searching for peace which could only be found through death yet he had the strength and composure to write such a profound poem in his final moments
Yesenin says ,good bye my friend goodbye .You all will always be in my heart and be always loved by me,for i am eternal in your memory and in your heart . It was destined that we should meet and part .My parting promises that we will meet again . There will be no farewell handshakes ,no grief stricken farewell.He tells his friends not to be saddened by his death .Facial features reveals our feelings. “Furrowed brow” is a symbol of the sadness,anger,denial and depression that will be reflected on the face of the poet’s friend . Yesenin writes that there is “nothing new in dying now ” Human life is mortal,not immortal.It is the universal law of life that everyone who is born,must die one day . Thus,there wont be anything new in dying but to live will be new. Living is also not newer
Yesenin’s farewell poem has a musical rhythm .The rhyme scheme of the poem adds to the musical pattern of the poem . Infact,the band Bring me the Horizon were so influenced by the poem that they made a song called “Written in blood ” incorporating the poem into the song.I feel that this poem is incredibly moving and profound.It has been beautifully written and it touches you heart and soul.This poem heals the soul from the pain of losing some one. I for one,having just lost some one, can relate to this poem in so many ways.It heals my heart,it makes me accept that death is nothing new,that we should try and not feel sad as the person who dies never wants to leave the people he loves filled with sorrow. This poem deeply affected me . I wish i had the good fortune to read the original Russian poem as lyrics are often lost in translation . This poem shows the ingenuity of Sergei Yesenin. Though its short,it fills your soul with pathos and poignancy .