Poetry in Translation (CXXVII): Vicente Aleixandre (1889, Sevilla – 1984, Madrid), Poet Spaniol – “No estrella”, ” Stea fără nume”, “No star”
No estrella
(Vicente Aleixandre, 1889-1984)
¿Quién dijo que ese cuerpo
tallado a besos, brilla
resplandeciente en astro
feliz? ¡Ah, estrella mía,
desciende! Aquí en la hierba
sea cuerpo al fin, sea carne
tu luz. Te tenga al cabo,
latiendo entre los juncos,
estrella derribada
que dé su sangre o brillos
para mi amor. ¡Ah, nunca
inscrita arriba! Humilde,
tangible, aquí en la tierra
te espera. Un hombre que te ama.
STEA FARA NUME
(Vicente Aleixandre, 1889-1984)
Cine a spus, oare, că timpul
sculptat din săruturi, străluceşte
minunat în orbita
fericirii? O, stea, tu care eşti a mea,
coboară! Fie lumina ta
doar carne şi trup, aici,
pe pământ. Putea-voi
să te cuprind, zvâcnind în iarbă,
stea căzută din cer,
care, pentru dragostea mea, vei fi sacrificat
sângele şi strălucirea ta. Nu, niciodată,
tu, fiinţă cerească! Aici, umil
şi tangibil, pământul te ocroteşte.
Aici, un om ţi se închină.
(Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London,
© 2012, Copyright Constantin ROMAN)
* * * * * *
NO STAR
Who said that a body
carved from kisses shines
resplendently, an orb
of happiness? Oh star of mine,
descend! May your light finally
be flesh, be body, here upon
the grass. May I at last
possess you, throbbing in the reeds,
star fallen to the earth,
who for my love would sacrifice
your blood or gleam. No, never,
heavenly one! Here, humble
and tangible, the earth awaits you.
Here, a man loves you.
(English translation by Hugh A. Harter, 1987)
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:
Vicente Pío Marcelino Cirilo Aleixandre y Merlo (1889 – 1984) was a Spanish poet born in Seville, who studied law at the University of Madrid.
and received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1977. He was part of the Generation of ’27.
Thank you for making this beautiful poem available. I understood enough of the Spanish to realize what a fine English translation this is.
Wendy,
Publishing translations of poems in various languages is important in order to come closest to the spirit of the original poems: it certainly helps a translator in comparing texts. In this particular case, Spanish, as the original language of the poem, is closer to the Romanian, than the English text and certainly is indispensable in preserving the spirit of the poet.Besides,the juxtaposition of parallel texts aid those readers who may know only English.
Thank you very much for your tribute to this great poet, one of my favorites.
I admire you a lot.
Ray,
Thank you for your kind interest: I appreciate it.
Editor