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Poetry Corner: Do you have any favourite poems? If so, share them here!
Thread poster: Paul Dixon
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 04:24
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!


expressisverbis
Jean Dimitriadis
Antoine Wicquart
Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
Antoine Wicquart
Antoine Wicquart  Identity Verified
Estonia
Local time: 05:24
German to French
+ ...
αγαπώ Dec 17, 2020

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.


expressisverbis
P.L.F. Persio
Jean Dimitriadis
Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
Jean Dimitriadis
Jean Dimitriadis  Identity Verified
English to French
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Sans sens Dec 18, 2020

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]
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Antoine Wicquart
expressisverbis
QHE
P.L.F. Persio
Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
Antoine Wicquart
Antoine Wicquart  Identity Verified
Estonia
Local time: 05:24
German to French
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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!

expressisverbis
Jean Dimitriadis
P.L.F. Persio
Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 04:24
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!


expressisverbis
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Christopher Schröder
Yaotl Altan
 
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Mervyn Henderson (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 04:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
PLF Dec 31, 2020

Thanks PLF! I second that!

expressisverbis
 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 21:24
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.
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expressisverbis
P.L.F. Persio
Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 04:24
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.


Mervyn Henderson (X)
Yaotl Altan
expressisverbis
 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 21:24
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Thank you. Jan 1, 2021

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.


 
Jason Whitestone
Jason Whitestone
United States
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
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Local time: 04:24
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
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P.L.F. Persio
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:24
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]
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P.L.F. Persio
 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 04:24
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
One of my favourites Jun 25, 2021

Tom in London wrote:

(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


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
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:24
Member (2008)
Italian to English
BAD poet Jun 25, 2021

P.L.F. Persio wrote:
the other thing


That's the difference between a great poet and a crap poet.


 
P.L.F. Persio
P.L.F. Persio  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 04:24
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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Poetry Corner: Do you have any favourite poems? If so, share them here!







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