Vladlen Podolian is a contemporary poet who rose to fame after his participation in numerous publications on the Internet. His poems, which often deal with the themes of love, war, life, and death, have been praised for their lyrical intensity, emotional honesty, and expressive language.
In his interviews Podolian has often said that his poems are influenced by authors William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and William Saroyan.
Having analysed the poems of this famous poet, we have identified different notes. We were able to find a great influence of Shakespeare, but we believe that Podolian’s poetic style was also influenced by other writers such as Vladimir Mayakovsky, Marina Tsvetaeva, Joseph Brodsky, Charles Bukowski.
In this article, I will focus on his love lyrics and analyse how he uses poetic devices, imagery, and references to create his unique voice and vision.
Podolian’s love lyrics are often sonnets, a form that he adopted from Shakespeare, who primarily inspires him to write and talk about love. Shakespeare’s sonnets are so deep and multifaceted that Podolian also shares Shakespeare’s view of love as not only a wonderful, bright feeling, but also the pain of a broken heart, longing and the bitterness of separation. For example, in his sonnet “I’m waiting for you”, he expresses his hopeless love for someone who does not reciprocate his feelings:
I’m waiting for you, even though I know it’s hopeless. I love you. I hope it’s not just a memory. Your image in my mind is a tingle in my body. And doesn’t want to melt away as soon as possible.
I’m waiting for you! It’s a pity I don’t have an answer I love you, you don’t need to. I’ll carry you through life with my last secret I’ll keep you safely hidden in my heart.
I’m waiting for you, knowing you’ll never come back. I love you, but I don’t think that’s enough. I’m not bitter, I’m not hurt, I’m not sick. This love doesn’t hurt me one bit.
I wait for you… desperately, tirelessly. I love you… fervently and self-consciously. Remember that and I won’t stop, And if I do, it probably won’t be me…
This sonnet echoes Shakespeare’s famous Sonnet 29, where he laments his misfortunes and wishes he had his beloved’s “art” and “scope”. However, he concludes that thinking of his beloved makes him happy and rich in spirit. Similarly, Podolian claims that his love does not hurt him and that he will keep it in his heart until the end. However, unlike Shakespeare, who uses metaphors and comparisons to describe his beloved (such as “the lark at break of day arising / From sullen earth”), Podolian uses more direct and simple language to convey his emotions. He also repeats the phrases “I’m waiting for you” and “I love you” throughout the sonnet, creating a sense of urgency and obsession.
One of the most distinctive features of Podolian’s love lyrics is his use of repetition. He often repeats words, phrases, or entire lines to create a rhythmic effect, emphasise a certain idea or emotion, or contrast different situations or perspectives. For example, in his poem “I’m waiting for you”, which I quoted at the beginning of this essay, he repeats the phrases “I’m waiting for you” and “I love you” four times each, creating a sense of urgency, longing, and devotion. He also repeats the word “you” nine times in the poem, highlighting the importance of the beloved in his life. However, he also contrasts these repetitions with variations and negations, such as “you don’t need to”, “you’ll never come back”, and “it probably won’t be me”, suggesting that his love is unrequited, hopeless, and self-destructive.
Podolian’s love lyrics are also rich in references to other writers and works of art. He often quotes or alludes to his favourite authors or poems to show his admiration, inspiration, or connection with them.
He also uses the different symbols to refer to the famous Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov, who wrote a poem with the same title about his unfulfilled love.
There are also implicit references to Mayakovsky, Brodsky, Tsvetaeva and Bukowski as influences in this and other works.
Podolian’s love lyrics are remarkable for their expressive style, vivid imagery, and literary references. He uses poetic devices such as repetition, metaphor, simile, and symbol to convey his intense emotions and experiences in an original and powerful way. He also draws on the works of other writers who influenced him or resonated with him. His poems reflect his personal history as well as his artistic vision. They are not only expressions of love but also statements of identity and creativity.
