Jenny Wade

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Sensitive Skin is proud to present Mayakovsky Maximum Access, new translations of selected poems from Vladimir Mayakovsky, translated and with commentary by Jenny Wade.

Futurist, revolutionary, propagandist, hooligan, lover, martyr, clown—the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky was the powerhouse of Russia’s Silver Age. This bilingual edition provides “maximum access” to 24 of his best known poems, including:

—Precise English translations

—Stress marks in the Russian text

—Commentary on syntax, wordplay and neologisms

—Clarification of cultural, historical and literary references

—Essays on theme, persona and poetic technique

“Readers familiar with Mayakovsky’s verse in Russian will enjoy the poetic wit and insight of Jenny Wade’s translations, which also shed light on some of the verbal and syntactic riddles of the original: those seeking to grasp the Mayakovsky phenomenon in English can rely on the supreme accuracy of Wade’s renderings, and on her overall treatment of her subject, full of artistic admiration and human empathy—yet also distinguished by a critical distance necessary for any real understanding.”

—Anna Muza, Senior Lecturer, Slavic Languages and Literatures, UC Berkeley

“Jenny Wade’s superb translations of the poems of Vladimir Mayakovsky, her enchanting comments and brief essays on the very poems of the first street poet of the last century, help to end the crime that, to this day, only a portion of his immense written and visual works have been published in the United States. Mayakovsky is the real and realist father of the American Beat Generation. Jenny Wade’s translations make that actuality emphatic.”

—Jack Hirschman, emeritus Poet Laureate of San Francisco

“’To all of you…I raise my skull, filled with poetry…’ In Jenny Wade’s masterful translation, with palpable notes, Mayakovsky Maximum Access, what we have is, not only a sensitive, lyrical, down-to-earth reading of a poet who frequented rhyme in his own lyrical, at times, harsh and raw work, but also continual “instructions” on how to enter into this master poet/playwright’s work. The book is bilingual and thus open to further interpretation for those who frequent both languages. Pick up this book & fill your skull.”

—steve dalachinsky, author of The Final Nite

“The Russian poet, Mayakovsky, is central to his country’s literary history. Jenny Wade’s translations of his marvelous, yet down to earth, poems are a marvel in themselves. This is an important book—highly recommended!”

—Ron Kolm, author of Night Shift

“Jenny Wade has superbly captured the plangent Whitmanesque rhythms of Mayakovsky, written on the wing, on the fly, on the loose, ‘a cloud in trousers.’ The clarity of Wade’s supple translation and explanatory footnotes make this a timely addition to the canon of poetic voices that now, more than ever, need to be heard.”

—Max Blagg, author of Slow Dazzle

“Jenny Wade’s vibrant translations of Vladimir Mayakovsky’s selected poetry offer an outstandingly energetic and insightful view into the work of one of Russia’s most fascinating, towering poetic (anti)heroes. Rendered in vivid, passionate language, this volume is a page-turner, while the detailed commentary that accompanies every poem provides nuanced insight into the mind of the great poet and into the intricacies of his innovative use of the Russian language.”

—Anton Yakolev, author of Ordinary Impalers