Pavel Bulygin’s Abyssinian poems in the magazine “Rubezh” (Border) (Harbin, 1935–1936)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the Abyssinian poems by Pavel Bulygin, a poet and a prose writer who left Russia after the revolution, whose poems were published in Harbin weekly “Rubezh” (Border) (1935–1936). Exotic motives are analysed in the poet's work, for whom, following Nikolay Gumilyov, Africa became a “guiding star”: Bulygin's collection of poems “Alien Stars” is dedicated to Abyssinia – the name of the cycle clearly refers to Gumilyov's “Alien Sky”. Special attention is paid to the May issue of “Rubezh” (1936), where Bulygin’s five poems from the cycle “Alien Stars” were published under the general title “The poems about Abyssinia”. These texts are considered as a microcycle, united thematically – Bulygin's poetic bestiary is described, focused on Gumilyov in many respects; the literary nature of the poet's affection to African travels is noted not only through Gumilyov’s lyrics, but also through James Fenimore Cooper and Jack London’s adventure novels; it is pointed out that the poet uses the technique of “imaginary” ekphrasis, when instead of a really existing picture, his own one is recreated – poetic and as if picturesque at the same time. In addition to the publication in the May issue of “Rubezh” in 1936, there are Bulygin’s works, published in Harbin weekly in 1935 (“Saw Gin” (“Hyena-Man”), “Russian in Abyssinia”, “From a heated red stone...”). Immersion in African topos, warmed for Bulygin by Gumilyov's poetry and travels, helps the emigrant poet escape from loneliness, anguish and nostalgia.