Sherboto Tokombaev (b. 1974) is a Kirghiz poet who has published two verse
works in Russian, the second of which "One day of wind" appeared
in 1998. A decade ago, his first series of poems published in a newspaper
caused a scandal owing to its modernity. Tokombaev says that there is
always a deep cultural basis in modernism, but that it is difficult to
translate it into the modern age so that it retains its freshness. His
poems focus on language with ease, and is devoid of clichés and
banal phrases. They delve into the flow of life with confidence. Everything
shines and radiates purity, even if life may actually be dreary. Tokombaev
wants to show what happens outside the screen, where the soul avoids harsh
words. He also translates Chinese literature into Russian and has a penchant
for the classical philosophy of the Orient, Tao, Buddhism and Sufism,
but also for Herman Hesse, Dostoyevsky, J.D. Salinger and Tove Jansson,
whose Moomintroll books he reads to his children. Tokombaev attended the
English school in his home town of Bishkek and studied journalism at the
university there. He has also worked as a cameraman for a Kirghiz film
company. At present, he is employed as Head of Marketing for a firm selling
batteries. He says that business life brings an acuity and tension to
his writing. He is also engaged in humanitarian work with drug addicts.
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