The Poetry of the Provinciality

Eugene Shesholin (1955-1990) was a Russian poet who not just lived «in the depths of Russia», but also saw himself as an opponent of the capital-based establishment. In particular, this attitude can be seen in his poem «To be born somewhere in the province…» written at some point in the 1980 s. The poem begins with reflections on the implications of one s provincial origin: while, in the eyes of province inhabitants themselves, the main qualities attributed to provincial «visionaries» are fragility and poor sustainability, from the external point of view, the main features of provincials fate are limited capacities and inadequacy, depriving them of an opportunity to ever find themselves among the first and the best. In the second part of the poem, Eugene Shesholin looks at his own personal experience, revealing the specificity of a provincial poet s art. His dreams and «fictions» are being linked to the ancient poetic tradition, presenting a decent alternative to the cult of modernity, characteristic of the capital-based mainstream.