Russia is truly inspiring! It is a great honor for us to share a soul-stirring poem about Russia written by our talented traveler, Denise Lariviere, who recently visited Russia on one of our Russian river cruises on the Volga.
Volga Dream
On board Volga Dream, near six-decades old
Berthed down in steerage, where engines beat time
Listening to comrades as stories are told
Trying to gauge Russia's rhythm and rhyme
First halting notes struck on black-and-white keys
Let's play Name That Tune, both cultured and styled
Our friend guessed all songs right with galling ease
Even the piano man turned and smiled
Pine wood assailed both nostrils and eyes
Out in the fields, rye and barley were grown
Workers adroitly cut grass with long scythes
On Kizhi Island, I stood with my own
Bracing water appeared a gray ocean
Cold wind, like a slap, attacked face and hair
Russians might laugh at such a strange notion
Such thoughts crossing through Lake Onega air
Great Yaraslavl, quaint city of charm
Telling the story we know hard and well
Orthodox Russians will come to no harm
Sorry, all others must languish in hell
Onion-shaped spires wait around Volga's bend
Churches galore, through which God's light was shown
Dmitry's murder proved means to an end
Blood spilled as sycophants stepped to the throne
Gone gloomy season, our days days now prolong
Let the world be alive with sea and sky
One will subservient to passion strong
Life dedicated to master's July
Onward you sail, Volga Dream, in your quests
May birch trees and summer attend your needs
Though we're no longer your time-honored guests
Levitan waits as our visage recedes.
by Denise Lariviere
Quick Volga River Facts
- Length: 3,530 km
- Mouth: Caspian Sea
- Cities: Volgograd, Kazan, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan, Yaroslavl, Ulyanovsk, Cheboksarry, Balakovo, Zavolzhye, Rzhev
We hope you have enjoyed reading the poem by Denise just as much as we did and got inspired to board one of the remarkable cruise ships yourself. You can explore the beauty of authentic Russia and the extensive Volga River with our award-winning Russian river cruises. Watch our rep, Vera, as she cruises onboard the famous Rostropovich ship.