Centre for Romanian Studies

Poetry in Translation (CCIII): Brian B. J. FARRUGIA, MALTA, “Hey! butterfly! butterfly!”, “Hei! fluture! fluture!”

Malta

Hey! butterfly! butterfly!
Brian B. J. Farrugia (Malta)

Hey! butterfly! butterfly!
Wait for me,
and tell me of your dreams.

Have you danced with fairies gay
and found your love and life?

Have you sipped the sweetest gold
and rest on the finest beds?

Hey, butterfly, butterfly
Come on me,
and sing me your finest song.

Have you heard the music,
the music of all that is?

Have you seen the unseeable tones,
and swam in the seas scent?

Hey, butterfly, butterfly
Rest on me
And tell me what you be.

Have you danced with blossoms
and laid your babes to grow?

A fluttered dream of worms long dead
the hope of better things to come.

Hey, butterfly, butterfly
leave me not
But tell,
what do dreams dream of?
of worms? of God?
or Both?

Hei! fluture! fluture!
Brian B.J. FARRUGIA (Malta)

Hei! fluture! fluture!
stai puţin
să-mi dezvălui visele tale.

Ai bătut hora cu zânele
să-ţi găseşti dorul şi viaţa?

Ai sorbit cea mai dulce miere
în cel mai frumos iatac?

Hei! fluture! fluture!
Vino la mine
să-mi cânţi cel mai frumos cântec.

Auzit-ai cântecul,
cântecul a-tot-ştiutor?

Văzut-ai tonurile nevăzute,
plutind în parfumul mării?

Hei! fluture! fluture!
Vino la mine
să-mi dezvălui ce vei fi.

Zburat-ai printre flori
Ca să-ţi zămisleşti firea?

Un vis pribeag de crisalide în nefiinţă
speranţa vietii de apoi.

Hei! fluture! fluture!
nu pleca,
ci spune-mi
la ce visează visurile?
la viermi? la zei?
sau la amândoi?

(Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London,
© 2013 Copyright Constantin ROMAN)

Malta, Valetta