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Entries from December 31st, 2015

Thirty five Years ago: Oriana Falacci interrogates Ayatollah Khomeini (1979)

December 31st, 2015 · Comments Off on Thirty five Years ago: Oriana Falacci interrogates Ayatollah Khomeini (1979) · Books, Diary, Famous People, History, OPINION, PEOPLE, quotations

Perhaps only one Western journalist ever managed to interview Ayatollah Khomeini twice. And from those long discussions we learned an enormous amount about the nature of the adamant theocracy that he was bent upon instituting. The second session was an achievement in itself, since Oriana had terminated the first one by wrenching off the all-enveloping chador she had been compelled to wear and calling it a:
“stupid, medieval rag.”
She told me that after this moment of drama she had been taken aside by Khomeini’s son, who confided in her that it had been the only time in his life that he had seen his father laugh.

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Poetry in Translation (CCCLXIX), GALICIA, SPAIN, Manuel Álvarez TORNEIRO (b. 1932): “On The Matter of Adagio, In tribute to Tomaso Albinoni”, “Adagio, Tribut lui Tomaso Albinoni”

December 21st, 2015 · No Comments · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations, Uncategorized

The hour arborescent in the shelter of evening.
That voluptuous taffeta of sense
And life,
which binds severe moments.
A lit blade of grass touches the tremulous flesh,
elaborates the happy flowering of what’s lost.
Nothing is shipwrecked definitively.
The viola turns into sheer silk.
Great scars receive their oils.

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Poetry in Translation (CCCLXVIII), France, René DAUMAL (1908-1944): “Poème”, “Poem”

December 17th, 2015 · No Comments · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Reviews, Translations

Voyant qu’on n’a rien, on essaye de se donner,
Essayant de se donner, on voit qu’on n’est rien,
Voyant qu’on est rien, on désire devenir,
Désirant devenir, on vit.
Văzând că nu am nimic, încerc să ofer,
Încercând să ofer, văd că sunt un nimic,
Văzând că sunt un nimic, doresc să devin,
Dorind să devin, trăiesc.

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Poetry in Translation (CCCLXVII), R. S. THOMAS (1913-2000), Wales: “Acting”, “Arta dramatică”

December 15th, 2015 · No Comments · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Prompt me, God;
But not yet. When I speak,
Though it be you who speak
Through me, something is lost.
The meaning is in the waiting.

‘Kneeling’

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Poetry in Translation (CCCLXVI), Chidiock TICHBORNE (b. ca. 1562 ENGLAND- d. 1586 London), “ELEGY“, “ELEGIE”

December 14th, 2015 · No Comments · Famous People, History, PEOPLE, Poetry, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, quotations, Translations

I sought my death and found it in my womb,
I looked for life and saw it was a shade,
Moartea ce am visat o strâng la piept, ca pruncul.
Viaţa ce-am căutat n-a fost decât un mit…
Pe căi ce am umblat mi-am regăsit mormântul.
Acuma mor, în fine, dar sunt neîmplinit.
Pocalul ce-a fost plin acuma e golit…
Cândva am mai sperat, dar sunt un om sfârşit.
Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London,
© 2015 Copyright Constantin ROMAN

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Poetry in Translation (CCCLXV), Abu NUWAS (b. 756 AD, Ahvaz, PERSIA- d. 814 AD, Baghdad, Irak), “Libre et gaillard“, “Liber si ferice”

December 11th, 2015 · No Comments · Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

À peine y descendîmes-nous à petits pas,
Qu’une aube resplendit, où l’aube n’était pas :
Quelle vierge exhibée, à saveur longue et âpre,
Faveur pour les marchands, langueur des opiniâtres !
De-abea ne luară paşii, tiptil, vorbind în şoapte,
Când soarele apare sa ne orbească, frate,
Şi-o fiinţă androgină, c-un zâmbet trist şi aspru,
Dezlănţuie favoruri, cu gesturi de teatru.

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