Don't Let the Soul Be Lazy

Nikolai Zabolotsky is an outstanding cosmistic of Russian literature, who in his poetry, full of philosophical ideas, sought the source of beauty. Together with other poet-philosophers, he organized OBERIU, a union of friendly and fruitful creators of entirely new art. "A poet of naked concrete figures, brought up close to the eyes of the viewer," is how N. Zabolotsky characterized himself, whose work should be perceived above all with the heart. Many of his poems (sometimes with some alteration of the author's lines) have become well-known songs, performed even today: "I do not seek harmony in nature," "Juniper Bush," "The speeches of lovers are cut off," "In this birch grove," "The signs of the Zodiac fade" and others. This collection consists of the best works of the poet, whose style is characterized by extraordinary musicality, freshness of artistic images, sincere feeling, and depth of thought.