How Could Voznesensky Foresee Our Future? The Great Poet on Riga and the World 0 12

The classic is closely connected with Riga, primarily through his famous poem "Let the lampreys flow from Riga...", which has become an anthem of respect for the city's history and its inhabitants.

In it, the poet urged not to rename the streets, but to preserve the memory of the place. The poem was published in the magazine "Youth" back in 1975!

Let the lampreys flow from Riga to the shores of Canada, to the land of ancestors.

There is no need to rename the streets, build new ones and name them.

People lived here, and in each—there is a miracle.

What if they return, remembering the Neva?

I will never forget you.

Rather temporarily—while I live.

(1975)

• He was a true intellectual. It was pleasant to communicate and work with him. He came to Jurmala, we often talked...

Once, the editor of Radio "Mayak", Lyuba Dubovtseva, suggested I write music for Voznesensky's poems. Thus, "A Million Scarlet Roses" was born, which became a super hit of that time..., - said Raimonds Pauls.

Voznesensky passed away on June 1, 2010, but his work continues to live on—in the lines of his poems, in the sounds of music, in the stone symbols of his grave (in the photo).

Andrei Voznesensky's grave is located at Novodevichy Cemetery—in a quiet corner, surrounded by birches and purple lilacs. This is a family burial site: nearby lie his parents—Andrei Nikolayevich and Antonina Sergeyevna Voznesensky, as well as his maternal grandmother. A small bench is placed in front of the grave, allowing one to reflect on existence, to remember the poet's verses.

The gravestone of Voznesensky's grave is not just a monument, but a whole philosophical composition. A huge cold gray sphere, weighing about three tons, seems to roll down an inclined granite slab. But it is held back by a small cross.

This monument, conceived by the poet himself, was created by sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. Voznesensky explained the meaning of the monument this way: "The globe rolls into the abyss, and the only thing that can hold it from final falling is faith!"

From the editorial: the poet's birthday is a wonderful reason to remember his poems. Don't hesitate, look for them on your bookshelf, ask AI and Google...