I AM A CITIZEN OF RUSSIA

I AM A CITIZEN OF RUSSIA (Russianmyn), a poem. Written in 1951–54 by M.Karim. Included in his Europe—Asia series of works. The main underlying themes of the work are the peaceful life of the people, the love for the Motherland, and the glorification of friendship of peoples. The lyrical character of the poem enthusiastically glorifies the tolerance and friendship which exists between ethnic Russians and Bashkirs and how, for more than four centuries, these two peoples have been united by one fate. The poem is done in a pathos-like style aimed at masses. The key message is the line: I am not an ethnic Russian, but still a citizen of Russia, which reveals the main idea he tries to convey. Using the words of the poem as lyrics, composers R.A.Murtazin, N.A.Mustakimov and S.G.Sadykova wrote a song by the same name. In addition, R.R.Ziganov wrote a ballade, and Z.G.Ismagilov wrote a cantata with the same lyrics. The text of the verse was used in the first part of the oratorio of composer V.P.Starodubrovsky in his work My Song about Bashkiria. Literary translation into Russian was done by M.A.Dudin.