Three Poems Handwritten by Rachel Bluwstein – Translations of Poems by Alexander Pushkin, Anna Akhmatova and Jessie ...

Three Poems Handwritten by Rachel Bluwstein – Translations of Poems by Alexander Pushkin, Anna Akhmatova and Jessie Sampter
Three translations, handwritten by Rachel Bluwstein, of poems by Alexander Pushkin, Anna Akhmatova and Jessie (Yesha) Sampter. [Palestine, ca. 1910s or 1920s].
During her short life, Rachel translated a small number of poems by her favorite poets. These poems, twenty-six all in all, were mostly published after her death, and indicate her literary influences, cultural roots and personal taste. Offered here are three translations handwritten by her: two translations of poems by classic Russian poets and a translation of a poem by a less known poet – Jessie Sampter, who was Rachel's neighbor in Jerusalem and whom she personally knew. The poems:
1. "Do Not Sing to Me, Fair Maiden" (Непой, красавица, примне), a translation of a poem by Alexander Pushkin, dedicated to one of his loves – Anna Olenina (Pushkin wrote this poem in 1828, after hearing Olenina improvising on the piano). Rachel's translation was published in the "Davar" newspaper in 1939; it was later composed by Jaroslav Jakubovič and appeared in Anat Atzmon's album "Laila, Kar VeDmut Alma".
2. "Where, Tall Lady, is your Gypsy Child" (Где, высокая, твой цыганенок…), a translation of a poem by Anna Akhmatova. Originally written in 1914.
One word in the first line is crossed out and corrected.
3. "City in the Heavens", translation of an English poem by Jessie (Yesha) Sampter. An interesting handwritten inscription appears in the upper margin: alongside the poet's name appear three erased names: "Yesha?"; "Jessie"; and "Yesha Samter". This translation also appeared in a letter sent by Rachel when she lived in Jerusalem (during the years 1924-1925) and was presumably written then (see Kedem auction no. 64, item 259).
Rachel Bluwstein Sela (Rachel Ha'meshoreret, 1890-1931), born in the Russian Empire, was one of the leading poets in Modern Hebrew poetry. In 1909, she visited Palestine, was enchanted by the life of the settlements and decided to settle in Rechovot. The house where she lived with her two sisters came to be known as "the three sisters' tower". In 1911, Rachel joined the women's agricultural training program "Havat HaAlamot" on the shores of the Kinneret. At that time she met some of the figures that are most identified with the Second Aliyah: Aharon David Gordon, Berl Katznelson, Zalman Shazar (to whom she dedicated some of her poems) and others. In time she recalled that this was the best time of her life.
In 1914, while visiting her family in Russia, World War I broke out and she was forced to wait until it ended before returning to Palestine. When she finally reached Palestine on the SS Ruslan, she showed the first signs of tuberculosis. At first, she was permitted to live in Kevutzat Deganyah; however, after her health deteriorated, she was asked to leave (the announcement, as she recalled, being: "You are ill and we are healthy. Therefore, you must leave"). In her final years, she moved from city to city in Palestine and finally, giving up her hopes of recovery, moved to a small attic in Tel Aviv, in a house close to the sea, earning a meager living by publishing poems in newspapers. She wrote most of her poems during this time.
After her death, Rachel became one of the most well-known and loved Hebrew poets; many of her poems were composed and recorded and many streets in Israel were named after her.
Three leaves (one written page on every leaf). Size and condition vary. Good-fair overall condition. Horizontal fold lines. Stains and minor creases. Closed and open tears to edges of two leaves (small, not affecting the text).