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Poetry Corner: Do you have any favourite poems? If so, share them here! Thread poster: Paul Dixon
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P.L.F. Persio Netherlands Local time: 09:14 Member (2010) English to Italian + ... Chapeau, Jean! | Dec 17, 2020 |
Jean Dimitriadis wrote: Sans pleuvoir I love the crescendo from everyday images to increasingly weird ones, and your use of prepositions to give rhythm to their paces. You're a clever man, Jean, yes, you are. Give us more, please! | | |
You are very talented Jean! Interesting language combination by the way... My girlfriend is Greek but we both have no time to learn each other's language, so we basically speak German at home haha I'd like to learn Greek some day. | | |
Due to popular(?)[P.L.F] demand, I will add one more poem, but this one will be the last. I don't want to abuse the forum's hospitality (with my warm thanks). This one waxes lyrically about suicide, blending the very personal and the philosophical (cf. Albert Camu's treatise "The Myth of Sisyphus" on the subject and the absurd). It can however be of interest from a "translation" perspective, especially to those who can read both versions of the poem. The... See more Due to popular(?)[P.L.F] demand, I will add one more poem, but this one will be the last. I don't want to abuse the forum's hospitality (with my warm thanks). This one waxes lyrically about suicide, blending the very personal and the philosophical (cf. Albert Camu's treatise "The Myth of Sisyphus" on the subject and the absurd). It can however be of interest from a "translation" perspective, especially to those who can read both versions of the poem. The first one is in French and the second one, in my other language, Greek. Notice that the latter is the product of a rewrite/adaptation (although a few verses are identical), which occurred around 3-4 years after the first iteration. In other words, I've used the French version as a draft of the Greek one, with translation embedded to the process. *** SANS SENS le ravin s’enlace avec la fuite l’air s’étale au large de mes bras trop courts l’horizon d’en bas se brouille en vue de ma vie broyée et le plus léger des vents se brise en attente le sens se dérobe sous la Grande Ourse la Lune Vide se défile tout s’enfuit mais c’est moi qui m’évade monde miroir de mes yeux j’écoute l’appel du silence le noir m’embrasse vertige soyeux il n’y a qu’un pas jusqu'à l’autre rive mais où finit ma lassitude ? d’un pas ferme je m’éloigne sans quitter le précipice je revendique le je suis là de l’absens η φυγή χάσκει μπροστά μου σαν γκρεμός φτάνει από δω στο πουθενά όλα γύρω ξεμακραίνουν εγώ αποχωρώ κόσμε καθρέφτη των ματιών μου ένα ρίγος διαπερνά τη φυλλωσιά της νύχτας ο ίλιγγος του μαύρου με τυλίγει η άλλη όχθη ένα βήμα μα πού τελειώνει το ανώφελο; με την αφή της μοιραίας απόληξης αγγίζω το νόημα που χάνεται την απουσία της διαύγειας τη σκιά του παραλόγου τη σκιά μου μπροστά στο αδιέξοδο στέκω εν απορία κρατάω το χάσμα ανοιχτό
[Edited at 2020-12-18 19:42 GMT] ▲ Collapse | | |
Joli néologisme | Dec 18, 2020 |
"Absens" is a great word! I was looking on Google whether it'd be some philosophical concept I wouldn't be aware of, until I read the poem a second time. I love this neologism, I vote for its adoption by the académie française! | |
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P.L.F. Persio Netherlands Local time: 09:14 Member (2010) English to Italian + ... Thank you, Paul! | Dec 31, 2020 |
Paul Dixon wrote: Do you have any favourite poems? If so, share them here! If not in English, please explain what the poet is trying to say! I'll start with this excerpt from a poem by France Preseren (1800 - 1849), a great message of peace for these war-torn days: God's blessing on all nations, Who long and work for that bright day, When o'er earth's habitations No war, no strife shall hold its sway; Who long to see That all men free, No more shall foes, but neighbours be! At last to our reunion - To us the toast! Let it resound, Since in this great communion By thoughts of brotherhood we're bound May joyful cheer Ne'er disappear From all good hearts now gathered here!
[Edited at 2010-02-26 00:01 GMT]
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2010-02-26 17:56 GMT] Dear Paul, Thank you so much for this wonderful thread! I wish you the best of luck for 2021, to stay healthy and safe, to get a continuous stream of interesting and well-paid jobs, to enjoy peace in your inner life, to be happy in your family life, to meet good people, and to enjoy life in wondrous Brazil again. And I wish the same to all of you, esteemed colleagues and dear friends, wherever you are. Happy New Year! | | |
Mervyn Henderson (X) Spain Local time: 09:14 Spanish to English + ...
Thanks PLF! I second that! | | |
Yaotl Altan Mexico Local time: 01:14 Member (2006) English to Spanish + ... Mis escritos a Alemania | Dec 31, 2020 |
(This was written for a beloved German colleague 5 years ago) Siempre habrá escritos a Alemania para ti, mi indomable traductora que, con suerte, llegarán a vos cada hora. Ahí te yergues sobre la niebla más espesa a las cinco de la tarde, montando una galaxia y mirando los cometas, seductora. Te conviertes en la luz que alumbra a tu matria y de paso, le quitas lo inerte a mis recuerdos. ¿Qué es más grande e... See more (This was written for a beloved German colleague 5 years ago) Siempre habrá escritos a Alemania para ti, mi indomable traductora que, con suerte, llegarán a vos cada hora. Ahí te yergues sobre la niebla más espesa a las cinco de la tarde, montando una galaxia y mirando los cometas, seductora. Te conviertes en la luz que alumbra a tu matria y de paso, le quitas lo inerte a mis recuerdos. ¿Qué es más grande en cuanto a concepto? ¿El amor o el firmamento? Con seguridad, el segundo es finito El primero se queda corto, es infinito, si queremos. Brújulas estáticas que no obedecen ni a la lógica ni al magnetismo, como expectativa que agota los segundos y hace que se funda el tiempo con tu piel. Geometría necia que se vuelve roja, ajena a la conducta humana Exploro tus respuestas y caminos, senderos amorfos en tus entrañas donde te cierras, saturada en ti misma, tu mente se ha cerrado y percibo el final del firmamento si logro quebrar la persistencia. Tu anatomía se hace omnipresente y tu voz igualmente está en todos los lugares. Cicatrices del tiempo que ascienden como humo. Y un abrazo determina la distancia conforme nubes largas se retrasan. Pero floreces, rebelde ante el infierno te reabres, ondulada en cada punto abordando y bordando las heridas. Así se van mis escritos a Alemania. Así se van mis escritos a tu vientre. ▲ Collapse | | |
P.L.F. Persio Netherlands Local time: 09:14 Member (2010) English to Italian + ... Lucky traductora ... | Jan 1, 2021 |
Yaotl Altan wrote: (This was written for a beloved German colleague 5 years ago) ... having a beautiful poem written for her by a charming, brilliant Mexican colleague! It doesn't get more flattering than this. | |
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Yaotl Altan Mexico Local time: 01:14 Member (2006) English to Spanish + ...
P.L.F.Persio wrote: Yaotl Altan wrote: (This was written for a beloved German colleague 5 years ago) ... having a beautiful poem written for her by a charming, brilliant Mexican colleague! It doesn't get more flattering than this. Thank you for your kind words. | | |
My latest find | Jun 22, 2021 |
Unfortunately, this is not a poem, but I did not know where else to share my impressions of this book. The novel is called "A Mirror Above the Abyss" by Oleg Lurye. This is an extremely exciting story with elements of fiction and real events. You can read more about it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094NMRWPJ | | |
Anne Maclennan Local time: 09:14 Member (2010) German to English + ... Light-hearted poem | Jun 25, 2021 |
I have just discovered this wonderful thread and can’t resist adding something. This is a silly little light-hearted poem I was introduced to in my first year in secondary school. The Common Cormorant The common cormorant or shag Lays eggs inside a paper bag, The reason you will see no doubt It is to keep the lightning out. But what these unobservant birds Have never noticed is that herds Of wandering bears may come with buns ... See more I have just discovered this wonderful thread and can’t resist adding something. This is a silly little light-hearted poem I was introduced to in my first year in secondary school. The Common Cormorant The common cormorant or shag Lays eggs inside a paper bag, The reason you will see no doubt It is to keep the lightning out. But what these unobservant birds Have never noticed is that herds Of wandering bears may come with buns And steal the bags to keep the crumbs. Anonymous ▲ Collapse | | |
Tom in London United Kingdom Local time: 08:14 Member (2008) Italian to English The great Philip Larkin | Jun 25, 2021 |
(Sorry but to keep the moralists of Proz happy, I've had to butcher Larkin's rhythm). The proper version is here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48419/this-be-the-verse This Be The Verse By Philip Larkin They **** you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the fau... See more (Sorry but to keep the moralists of Proz happy, I've had to butcher Larkin's rhythm). The proper version is here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48419/this-be-the-verse This Be The Verse By Philip Larkin They **** you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had And add some extra, just for you. But they were ****ed up in their turn By fools in old-style hats and coats, Who half the time were soppy-stern And half at one another’s throats. Man hands on misery to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. Get out as early as you can, And don’t have any kids yourself.
[Edited at 2021-06-25 09:49 GMT] ▲ Collapse | |
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P.L.F. Persio Netherlands Local time: 09:14 Member (2010) English to Italian + ... One of my favourites | Jun 25, 2021 |
Don't worry about that, Tom. Some 3 weeks ago, I posted that very poem on the now defunct Corona Diary thread, in all its glorious fullness, with no one batting an eyelid. To counteract Larkin's bitter truth, I'm going to add Adrian Mitchell's own version: This Be The Converse They tuck you up, your Mum and Dad, They read you Peter Rabbit, too. They give you all the treats they had And add some extra, just for you. They were tucked up when they were small, (Pink perfume, blue tobacco-smoke), By those whose kiss healed any fall, Whose laughter doubled any joke. Man hands on happiness to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. So love your parents all you can And have some cheerful kids yourself.
[Edited at 2021-06-25 09:32 GMT] | | |
Tom in London United Kingdom Local time: 08:14 Member (2008) Italian to English
P.L.F. Persio wrote: the other thing That's the difference between a great poet and a crap poet. | | |
P.L.F. Persio Netherlands Local time: 09:14 Member (2010) English to Italian + ... As far as parodies go ... | Jun 25, 2021 |
Tom in London wrote: That's the difference between a great poet and a crap poet. ... that is a good one. Of course, Larkin's poem is unsurpassed. | | |
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