Centre for Romanian Studies

POETRY IN TRANSLATION (CCCLXXXVI): Adrian MUNTEANU (b. 1948-Brasov), ROMANIA – “Scriu un sonet. Deplină amăgire”, “The Sonnet – an Eternal Tease”

Adrian Munteanu – Poet

Adrian MUNTEANU
(b. 1948, Brasov)
Scriu un sonet. Deplină amăgire

Scriu un sonet. Deplină amăgire
Că prin canon mai liber mă voi face.
Dar sunt ce vreau, ce ştiu şi ce îmi place,
Modest cârpaci de vorbe şi iubire.

Un gând buimac într-un ungher îmi zace
Şi nu-i găsesc firava limpezire.
Mă prinde-n gestul lui de-mpotrivire
Şi mă aruncă-n lumile opace.

Trec voci cerşind cărarea neumblată,
Dar altele, urlând, ademenesc
Cu zarea lor etern împurpurată.

Când verbe-n cuget tainic mă sfinţesc,
Nu-mi amintesc de mine niciodată.
E semn profund că-ncep să mă trezesc.

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Adrian MUNTEANU
(b. 1948, Brasov)
“The Sonnet – an Eternal Tease”

I write a sonnet as a constant tease –
Its rules are there to liberate my dream,
To be myself and follow, as I seem
To play with empty words of love and ease.

My errand thoughts I cannot now redeem
And I can hardly hear their faintest pleas.
I can no longer fight and barely breath –
A hostage to the darkest, deadly scheme.

I hear the beggars on the heathen mud,
And others, calling to pursue their way,
To a horizon purple with the blood.

When sudden, godly words come to the fray,
I hardly can recall the tide, or flood…
This be the sign that I am born again.

Rendered in English by Constantin ROMAN,
© 2016 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

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