Dmytro Lazutkin was born in Kyiv in 1978. He was educated as a metallurgy engineer and journalist. The author of the books: Дахи (Kyiv, Hopak, 2003), Солодощі для плазунів (Kyiv, Fakt, 2005), Паприка грез (Moscow, NLO, 2006), набиті травою священні корови (Kyiv, Smoloskyp, 2006), Бензин (Kyiv, Fakt,, 2008), Добрі пісні про поганих дівчат (Meridian Czernowitz, Kamyanets-Podilsky, 2012). Was awarded the literary prizes: «Смолоскип», «Гранослов», «Культреванш», «Літературний Олімп» and «Русская премия». Participates in many international literature festivals. Was published in anthologies and magazines: Метаморфози: 10 поетів останніх 10 років, Сучасність, Четвер, Дві тонни, ЛІТПОШТА, Київська Русь, Потяг-76 (Ukraine), Magnus Ducatus Poesis (Lithuania), Red, Akcent, Tygel culture (Poland), Освобожденный Улисс, Вавилон, Воздух, Континент, ДетиРа, Тритон, Русский верлибр. Итоги века, Самое выгодное занятие (Russia), The Wolf (USA), Videria (Brazil) etc. The fellow of Poland Ministry of Culture GaudePolonia grant (2004). Slam champion of Ukraine, the winner of slam contests organized by Smoloskyp publishing house, of Bereznevi koty festival. Got the title of King of Poets on the international festival Парадак слоў in Minsk. Worked as a sport journalist on the Olympic Games in Beijing and Vancouver, hosted sport shows on TV. Black belt in Kenpō (1st dan). Master of sports in Wushu sanda.
The winner of European Cup in elite martial arts (full-contact), champion of Ukraine in Cossack martial art, bronze medal of World cup in kick-boxing and kick-jutsu.
‘Carols and Waltzes’
in original: Дмитро Лазуткін, ‘Колядки і вальси’
In the times when there is nothing new under the sun, and the words to describe the recyclable materials were said long ago, there is only one way left: constructing images privately, digesting the reality with one’s own ferments, singing with one’s own voice, dancing to one’s own rhythms. The reader can watch this taking the challenge of reading Carols and Waltzes by Dmytro Lazutkin.
“Poetry is a fine matter. It consists of wind, fire, details and trinkets. It is the measure of your presence not only in the text, but also in its combination with the environment that matters. It is important how good you are as a heat conductor, how organic you are,” says Dmytro Lazutkin.
The collection includes poems from different years, translations and songs lyrics. The poet says: “This book is for those who know me as a lyricist of the “good songs for bad girls” time, and, at the same time the book gives one an opportunity to familiarize oneself with the experimental poems from Бензин (Gasolene) and Солодощі для плазунів (Sweets for Reptiles)”.
Carols and Waltzes is an interesting combination of sacral and everyday things before they are clothed in words. For, anyway, what is dance-singing? Its essence is the correctness of motion and breath – of internal and external – it needs repetitions in right places, the presence of rhythm “will you drink the sky with her? // will you take care of her horrors?” «worlds are going by – fight by fight // snow is going down flake by flake”.
And then: “the enemy hunts the sky in your eyes // but hears he carols and waltzes”. The carols, maybe, stand here for the sacredness “the skies are full of the awesome love // the buckets – of holy water”, “they say at Christmas // you can walk on the waters // but the salvation is not guaranteed”. The everyday things are the background for the sacredness. And its details and images go monumental “we are creating a great epoch together // and it grows through us // the serpent dwells in the TV light // the rage dwells in the TV light // crawls out and hardens in hand”.
Another prominent feature of the book – its abundance in fragments you would like to quote and learn by heart, when the image is impossible beautiful and gets stamped in the memory: “the farewells are tearing off like buttons”, “the seagulls radiate // the first unmelting snow”. The pictures are epic and laconic at the same time: “the night is dying like a sacrificial angel // the galaxy of friends is pouring down from the lips // my land is a cradle of white spots // a collection of album reproductions”, “the rain is getting more than simple rain // than nothing than we // with every drop being // a young delighted choir girl // and her naked voice // saves the time from ruin”.
And here are some last words about the love overflowing those poems, free from prostituting or time-serving. The exalted feeling manifests itself in different, sometimes paradox ways: “I saw you neck and caressed it // I kissed the shoulder tans I learned // the music of Odessa night clubs // by clatter of your heels”, “love is always the final chance // to properly end the brutal job… // find the best one among us // and kill with a spade this bastard”. And there are some more bad girls whose heels left stilette marks on the poet’s heart.
Poems.
Published in March, 2014.
Original language: Ukrainian.
11550 words.