“In the Memory of North-Western Army“ — English subs and translation

Russian White Emigration, circa 1922 Donate & Support: A poem by the White Guard poet A. Vasil’jev is dedicated to the unsuccessful campaign of the North-Western Army in Petrograd. Having missed the chance to occupy the capital, the White troops were forced to retreat to Estonia and lost their last hopes for a break in the course of the Civil War. In this song, the personal tragedy is added to the all-Russian tragedy, where a White officer, entering the suburbs of Petrograd, sees his own childhood home, occupied by the Reds and used as a firing point. In this video, the poem is set to music and performed by the “MDP“ band. Portrayed by an officer of the North-Western Army (Captain of the 1st Russian Officers’ Partisan Detachment). LYRICS (Original ones, slightly different from the video): Снѣгъ висѣлъ, какъ призрачная сѣтка На границѣ ночи и утра. Подходила бѣлая развѣдка Къ дальнимъ стогнамъ Города Петра. И на ​Забалканскомъ​ утромъ синимъ Командиръ, поручикъ молодой, За большую бѣлую Россію По своей шёлъ улицѣ домой. Вотъ и онъ, и колыхнулось ​сердце​, На карнизъ горбомъ метель легла, И смотрѣлъ на окна бывшей дѣтской Бывшій гимназистъ изъ-за угла. Вотъ ещё чуть-чуть - шандалъ зажжётся, И рояль, и мама запоётъ. Лишь плакатъ пятномъ кровавымъ льётся, Да глядитъ заставы пулеметъ. Снѣгъ сухой на крышахъ и вершинахъ, Спи подъ вьюгой, яблоневый садъ. Онъ калитку видѣлъ въ ста аршинахъ, И теперь въ Эстонію назадъ. Отходили, вновь отбивъ атаки, Скрёбъ копытомъ раненый гнѣдой. И свѣтилъ невзятый ​Исаакій​ Виѳлеемской тёплою звѣздой. Надъ тифозной ямой, надъ извёсткой, Гдѣ печально ангелы поютъ, Будетъ снѣгъ летѣть, сухой и жёсткій, Какъ послѣдній воинскій салютъ...