Author: Nanuli Tskhvediani

Let me tell you about the young woman to whom Lado Asatiani dedicated his famous lines:
“Oh, don’t think that beauty is fueled by love or hatred…”

While working on the bibliography of the March 21, 1941 issue of the newspaper Industriuli Kutaisi, I came across a small notice of sympathy from acquaintances and friends. It read:

“S. Vachnadze, M. Tutberidze, L. Asatiani and Sh. Kuridze express condolences to Keto Khonelidze on the passing of her father, Justine.”

As soon as I read this statement, I immediately recalled the small memoir There Was a Young Man, There Was a Blizzard by Lado’s classmate and friend, journalist Shota Kuridze, published in the 1980s by the Soviet Adjara publishing house. Several pages of that book are dedicated to this young woman.

I quickly found the book, which I had read long ago, and turned to the pages that now felt especially interesting.

The author remembers how, in 1936, during a summer camp gathering at Gojaia field near Kutaisi, he introduced Lado to a relative of his girlfriend, Keto Khonelidze, who was studying chemistry at the Pedagogical Institute.

“I was sure that he would like her,” Shota Kuridze writes.
“I told him she was Nutsa Chkheidze’s niece. It turned out just as I expected – this student’s gentleness, generosity, love of poetry, and honest emotions, along with the warmth and respect she showed to Lado, immediately charmed the young poet. One evening, in the circle of students, Lado read a new poem he had just written.” (Here, Kuridze includes a long excerpt from the poem.)
“Keto Khonelidze, as I remember, praised the poem highly because she liked it – and she liked Lado. Pleased, Lado gave her the poem as a keepsake. That’s why there was no dedication on it.”

Later, another poem followed…

“The closer he grew to Keto Khonelidze, the more he was enchanted by her kindness. Eventually, he dedicated a beautiful poem to her, written during that very camp trip.”

K.Kh.

…………….

“This poem is as simple as your look. It is so precious to a poet, especially during times of emotional storm. So believe me – it was inspired by just one glance. I write many poems about women, but I have never written one for a woman.”

After this epigraph, the poem follows:
“Like the flight of a butterfly on a dewy summer morning,
And like the blooming of a rose on the edge of a green garden,
That face appeared to me, peaceful like the morning dew…”

Lado and Keto’s friendship continued after the camp. According to Shota Kuridze, this is also confirmed by a New Year’s greeting poem. It was written in pencil on a decorative postcard and had the following epigraph:

“Ketevan! With new, peaceful days ahead, many new years to you.
You’ve managed to become better than me… why?
It’s clear. – L.A.”

The poem itself has no title.

When he was 21, Lado Asatiani dedicated his well-known poem “For the Old Day” to Ketevan Khonelidze. Shota Kuridze presents the original version of the poem, written on June 30, 1938, in ink on two pages of a notebook prepared for the newspaper Norchi Lenineli. It originally had a title and epigraph:

“To Ketevan Khonelidze
(‘Lado, Happy New Year.’ – Keto)”

“Oh… Don’t think that I am burning with love or hatred for women.
I just wanted to remember and reflect on the old days.
And yesterday morning, while searching for books on the closet shelf,
I suddenly saw your postcard,
Pale and light – just like you…” (literary translation)

The poem originally had four more stanzas.

Later, the author removed the epigraph and the fourth and fifth stanzas, and also revised several words. This private poem-letter was eventually transformed into a polished literary work.

Kuridze also discusses some technical and editorial issues surrounding this poem. He insists that a common mistake should be corrected: the initials should be printed not as “K. N.” (as in many editions), but “K. Kh.” – for Ketevan Khonelidze.

This sympathy note in an old yellowed newspaper, preserved in the periodicals archive of the Ilia Chavchavadze Public Library in Kutaisi, unexpectedly revealed the name of a remarkable young woman…