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Poetry Showcase [Political] Moderators for this section: Weaver, ochsterboxter, CadenzRime, Lingua Pura, ososment, carolynrn, Inker

Nasdarovia!

Outline: Memories from a trip behind the Iron Curtain in 1981, written in rhyming prose 10yrs ago, and posted here by request along with the structured verse alternative.
Nasdarovia!



Drunk as skunk before the flight 'cause Russian jet is on the pad and rumoured dryness outward bound meant Heathrow's wetter than Leningrad. "Fog bank closing, hurry up, 32C and buckle up!" Look around slowly, what do I see? Black 'n white movie lookin' back at me. Thoughts of Solzhenitsyn and the grey men that he hates, flooding back from paperback to paint a picture charcoal black on everybody's face. Moscow winter still inside the craft, frozen there in covered hair and buttoned tunic hides the stare that thinks, in secret, who goes there? Shifting eyes and curt replies from crew who man a one-class ship where everyone's an equal shit and dinner's after flight! Bargain basement banquet and the best of British luck 'cause the only option's vodka when you're stuffed with Commie tuck. And the word is 'Nasdarovia!' Hotel bar in Moscow is no different to Glasgow when the drink is flowing free, and Ruskies drink their share with anyone who cares to zing through transit skies upon their wing. Outward bound to Bangkok now through Bombay's boiling streets, which go untouched as aircraft sits and growls at Indian dust. Climbing, climbing outa there on giant wings and Russian prayer as John shouts, "Vodka! over here, the party's just begun." Friends are made and names are took with promises to look him up in Belfast when the dream is done. But dreams can last forever when you get a taste of Bangkok and a kiss from Asian Sun.
Ron
[Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:20 pm]
The structured alternative:

Nasdarovia!

Drunk as skunk before the flight
'cause Russian jet is on the pad
And rumoured dryness outward bound
Meant Heathrow's wetter than Leningrad.

"Fog bank closing, hurry up,
32C and buckle up!"

Look around slowly, what do I see?
Black 'n white movie lookin' back at me.

Thoughts of Solzhenitsyn
And the grey men that he hates,
Flooding back from paperback
To paint a picture charcoal black
On everybody’s face.

Moscow winter still inside the craft,
Frozen there in covered hair
And buttoned tunic hides the stare
That thinks, in secret, who goes there?

Shifting eyes and curt replies
From crew who man a one-class ship
Where everyone's an equal shit
And dinner's after flight!

Bargain basement banquet
And the best of British luck
'cause the only option's vodka
When you're stuffed with Commie tuck.

And the word is 'Nasdarovia!'

Hotel bar in Moscow
Is no different to Glasgow
When the drink is flowing free,
And Ruskies drink their share
With anyone who cares to zing
Through transit skies upon their wing.

Outward bound to Bangkok now
Through Bombay's boiling streets,
Which go untouched as aircraft sits
And growls at Indian dust.

Climbing, climbing outa there
On giant wings and Russian prayer
As John shouts, "Vodka! over here,
The party's just begun."

Friends are made and names are took
With promises to look him up
In Belfast when the dream is done.

But dreams can last forever
When you get a taste of Bangkok
And a kiss from Asian Sun.
_________________
". . . and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make." - The Beatles
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Carson
[Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:18 pm]
hmmmm, i'm not quite sure what to say Ron.....
(in a good way) Smile

Maybe it's just me, but I thought I followed it well enough until after:
Quote:

And the word is 'Nasdarovia!'

After that I sort of lost the thread of it, not quite sure what you're saying?
My first impressions were that you were telling us that the society in the USSR or communist society isn't so much different to our own?
But now i'm not so sure....

I'd be very interested to know, maybe you could enlighten me?
Sorry, if I've completely missed the point of this! Embarassed

Tim
_________________
"To bore one hole after another in language, until what lurks behind it, be it something or nothing, begins to seep through. I cannot imagine a higher goal for a writer today."

Samuel Beckett
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Ron
[Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:58 pm]
Nasdarovia is the Russian word for 'cheers' Cheers

I was nervous going through a very paranoid country but came out the other side with my skin and vodka intact. Wink

Nasdarovia!

Cheers
_________________
". . . and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make." - The Beatles
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Shelley
[Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:32 pm]
Hello Ron

I prefer the prose version to the structured version. I think it's full of atmosphere. Would lend itself to a longer story maybe - I'm sure you've plenty more material you could put in. Smile
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newvoice
[Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:55 am]
hi. i really liked the structured version - a cracking piece, full of atmosphere.
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Ron
[Sat Mar 03, 2007 10:44 am]
Hi Shelley,

Yeah, I prefer the original too, as rhyming prose is my favourite poetic medium. I have loads of them. Check this one out - The Storm Wink

Hi Newvoice Smile

Glad you enjoyed this one and pleased too that you thought it had 'atmosphere', as Moscow did have an atmosphere at that time - a scary one Monster Laughing I believe you too will enjoy that link, above. Wink

Thanks, both. Very Happy

Cheers
_________________
". . . and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make." - The Beatles
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BrianRobertNeal
[Sun May 13, 2007 1:36 pm] Watto Ron
I also preferred the prose version but believe it would make an easier read if it were broken down into paragraphs.

I once travelled through Yugoslavia on a less than elegant Orient Express. It was split into two halves at Belgrade. Our half was going to Athens and the other to Istanbul.

We'd arrived over 4 hours late and they took 2 hours to sort the train out.

Yet somehow we arrived in Athens on time!

It was a different world.

Brian

The reviewer would appreciate your comments on: A state of Grace
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Ron
[Sun May 13, 2007 1:44 pm]
Thanks Brian Very Happy

Orient Express to Athens, hey. Now that's one for the Log Book. Cool

Thanks for resurrecting this one. Wink

Nasdarovia! Cheers
_________________
". . . and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make." - The Beatles
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