“Once there was a Sovereign Russia“ — English subs and translation

Russian Republic, 1917 Donate & Support: Nostalgic and sorrowful poem by the monarchist poet Sergej Bekhtejev, written in April 1917, between two Russian revolutions. Shortly after writing this poem, Bekhtejev would become a police officer of the White movement and would participate in the Civil War and leave Russia as an emigrant, where he would continue to write monarchical poems, becoming one of the most famous poets of the White Emigration. Song version of the poem is performed by the “Gromoglas“ band. Portrayed by an unknown officer of the Russian Imperial Army wearing a revolutionary red bow and removing the Czar’s cyphers from his shoulder boards on the picture “Otrechenije“ (“The Abdication“) by Pavel Ryzhenko. This officer holds a rank of colonel and belongs to the Life-Guards Izmaylovsky Regiment. His physical appearance is close to Vladimir Jegor’jev, a Czarist officer who joined the Red Army after the Revolution. LYRICS: Была Державная Россія; Была великая страна Съ народомъ, мощнымъ, какъ стихія, Непобѣдимымъ, какъ волна. Но, подъ напоромъ черни дикой, Предъ ложнымъ призракомъ «свободъ», Не стало Родины великой Распался скованный народъ. Въ клочки разорвана порфира, Растоптанъ царственный вѣнецъ, И смотрятъ ​всѣ​ державы ​міра​, О, Русь, на жалкій твой конецъ! Когда-то властная Царица, Гроза и страхъ своихъ враговъ, Теперь ты жалкая блудница, Раба, прислужница рабовъ! Въ убогомъ ​рубищѣ​, нагая, Моля о хлѣбѣ предъ толпой, Стоишь ты, наша Мать родная, Въ углу съ протянутой рукой. И въ дни народной деспотіи Въ бродягѣ нищенкѣ простой Никто не узнаетъ Россіи И не считается съ тобой. Да будутъ прокляты потомствомъ Сыны, ​дерзнувшіе​ предать Съ такимъ преступнымъ вѣроломствомъ Свою безпомощную Мать!