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Entries Tagged as '“Ana de Romania”'

Constantin ROMAN: “Blouse Roumaine” Extras (I) – ROMANCE la LONDRA

May 6th, 2006 · Comments Off on Constantin ROMAN: “Blouse Roumaine” Extras (I) – ROMANCE la LONDRA · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE

CONFLUENTE CULTURALE ANGLO-ROMANE (I) – ROMANCELE LA LONDRA Cand trecea pe la Londra, Hotelul Savoy din Mayfair, era uneori resedinta Martei Bibescu, care consemna in jurnalul ei: “Regele mi-a intrerupt visarea cu un mesaj de bun-venit – dar refuz sa fiu deranjata”. Personajul acesta era George al V-lea, varul reginei Maria…Ei, cu o sotie atat […]

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Poetry in Translation (XXV): Marta Petreu, (b. 1955) – “Psalm”

December 1st, 2005 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XXV): Marta Petreu, (b. 1955) – “Psalm” · PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

To forget, I have no respite:
while phosphorous sleepless nights are licking my skin and eyes
with their rough tongue full of saliva
What a voluptuous and violent embrace

And what conceit:
as it is not in the power of God to wipe clean the past
(only to speed up disasters, through fulfilment)
(that is why
I would rather pray to you, instead,
the man to whom I gave myself that October birthday
please do me a small favour
and show a sign of subservience)

There is no anaesthetic, there is no sleep and therefore no forgiveness
I hold in my body the past and face up to the ashen future
There is no sleep, only that sharp transparency
(as we stand, face to face, I and the nothingness)
only this butcher’s tenderness, my blood that has fallen in love
popping up like champagne through the pores of my skin

The claw of which God will pluck me by the scruff of my neck?

O, Domine meo, it is not in your power to wipe clean not even for one night
the past
you cannot give either rest or forgetting
in me the puppies of fear grow
they multiply they strive and reach full maturity
You cannot give either rest or forgetting:
with rough phosphorous tongues they taste my skin my eyes
What a hungry pack and what a wonderful hunting feast
in the making

Rendered in English by Constantin ROMAN
(December 2005)

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Poetry in Translation (XXIV): Ion Caraion – “Seul au Monde” / “Singur pe lume”

November 12th, 2005 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XXIV): Ion Caraion – “Seul au Monde” / “Singur pe lume” · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

– Où vous emmènnent-ils, Monsieur?
– Dans le jardin, mon rêve.
– Pour quoi faire, Monsieur?
– Pour me fusiller, mon rêve.
– Parce qu’ils ont des balles, Monsieur?
– Parce qu’ils ont le temps, mon rêve.
– Où vous enterreront-ils, Monsieur?
– Sous la neige, mon rêve.
– Avez-vous peur, Monsieur?
– Je trouve ça révoltant, mon rêve.
– Qui doit-on prévenir, Monsieur?
– Les feux de l’enfer, mon rêve.
– Ça va aller quand même, Monsieur?
– Il fera nuit, mon rêve.
– Qui est votre plus proche parent, Monsieur?
– Je suis seul au monde, mon rêve.
– Voulez-vous boire un verre, Monsieur?
– Qu’est-ce que ça va me coûter, mon rêve?
– Peu importe le prix, Monsieur.
– Le calice est-il empoisonné, mon rêve?
– Vous n’en voulez pas, Monsieur?
– Casse-le en mille morceaux, mon rêve!
– Doit-on vous pleurer, Monsieur?
– Inutile, mon rêve.
– Bonne nuit, Monsieur.
– Dormons ensemble, mon rêve!
– Je dors seul, Monsieur.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alone in the World

by Ion Caraion. Translated by Constantin Roman.

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Letter to Sanda STOLOJAN – A Funeral Oration by Manuel de Diéguez

August 24th, 2005 · Comments Off on Letter to Sanda STOLOJAN – A Funeral Oration by Manuel de Diéguez · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry

Draga Sanda, Nu visam sa iti scriu in rai. Tu ai intrat acolo fara zgomot. In noaptea desmierdata, poetii confera mortii vocea melancoliei lor. Versurile tale s-au aprins sub cenuse: acum scanteiaza in amintirea noastra. Toate grozaviile pamantului nu vor stinge facliile pe care le-ai aprins. Mormantul tau canta maretia gandirii tale, cutezanta sfidarii, cu […]

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Poetry in Translation (XXII): Sanda STOLOJAN (1919-2005) – “Three Trees”

August 22nd, 2005 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XXII): Sanda STOLOJAN (1919-2005) – “Three Trees” · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

I
“The forest tree
Shakes its harvest
Silently in itself
Then into the outer world.

You too
Welcome winter
and you shall find under the deep snow
The path
the shroud
forever green.

II
The lonely tree
awaits the moment
which comes
and goes
Up there in the mist
Just a single apple
A possible sun.

III
Dying
to the highest
the coldest top
the tree which is thought
burns
seeking for the word
heaven.

(From the collection of poems entitled:
Sur les abîmes verts,
translated into English, from the original French
by Sanda Stolojan, 12 May 2003)

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Sanda Stolojan (1919-2005) – In Memoriam

August 20th, 2005 · Comments Off on Sanda Stolojan (1919-2005) – In Memoriam · Uncategorized

Sanda Stolojan, essayst, poet, memorialist, journalist, Interpreter to all French Presidents since de Gaulle and political activist for democracy and human rights in Romania, has died in Paris, at the age of 86. ———————————————————————————– Extract from the forthcoming Anthology of Romanian Women entitled “Blouse Roumaine” http://www.blouseroumaine.com/freeexcerpt_p23.html ——————————————————————————- Sanda Stolojan belongs to a family of Romanian […]

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Dela Oxford la Bucuresti (Universul Familiei Regale Romane)

April 9th, 2004 · Comments Off on Dela Oxford la Bucuresti (Universul Familiei Regale Romane) · Art Exhibitions, PEOPLE

Dela Oxford la Bucuresti Universul Familiei Regale Romane – Portrete din arhivele Britanice Expozitie organizata la Muzeul de Istorie al Municipiului Bucuresti de catre Dl. Russell Harris, M.Litt, (Oxon) Aprilie 2004 Expozitia de fotografii cu portretele familiei regale a Romaniei precum si ale capetelor incoronate cu care regii Romaniei sunt inruditi, se va deschide in […]

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Vocea Romaniei in Marea Britanie: Revista “Transcript”, Universitatea din Aberystwyth,Tara Galilor

December 4th, 2003 · Comments Off on Vocea Romaniei in Marea Britanie: Revista “Transcript”, Universitatea din Aberystwyth,Tara Galilor · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

Poeti Romani prezentati de catre Dl Constantin Roman in revista literara bilunara “Transcript”, a Universitatii Aberystwyth, din Wales (Tara Galilor). http://www.transcript-review.org/section.cfm?id=119&lan=en Limba Galeza (Welsh) isi accepta statutul si implicit complexul de a fi o limba de mica circulatie, ca si limba Romana, desi Galezii, ca si Romanii s-au stramutat in cele patru colturi ale lumii […]

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Poetry in Translation (XVI – XVII): Florenta ALBU (1934-2003) – “Left – Right …” & “Bucharest Carol”

July 11th, 2003 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XVI – XVII): Florenta ALBU (1934-2003) – “Left – Right …” & “Bucharest Carol” · PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations

Florenta ALBU (1934-2003) – “Left – Right …”
Swimming in the mud
we are swimming in this historic misery of ours
and that fear
is shouting at us
from the sides
and from behind us
in an interminable rhythm – that silly continuous
left – right – left!

Whilst we – of old and of new
we dastardly exhausted cowards
sunken up to our ears asking
deafening questions
of ourselves, two by two
forward skew-whiff march
left – right – left!

What might be ahead of us
what might be behind us
how much longer till where
this march in the mud
a historical fear over and over again shouting
left – right – left!

Translated by Constantin ROMAN, July 2003
From the Anthology “Greenhouse effect” (Efectul de sera)(1987)

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POETRY IN TRANSLATION (XI): Rodica Draghincescu – “To Myself”

February 23rd, 2003 · Comments Off on POETRY IN TRANSLATION (XI): Rodica Draghincescu – “To Myself” · Diaspora, Poetry, Translations

POETRY IN TRANSLATION (I): Rodica Draghincescu – “To Myself”
At birth
I appeared
Already oppressed in an air cage..
How amazing, what riot of colours
A stupefied godmother!
Compassion drowned in tears
She had an indelible pen
And on her lips offered on credit
Hung a suspended smile
She gratified me with a scribbled digit
Which she marked, in consolation, on my back:
Girl, two kilos, odd number: thirty-nine
Strangled by the umbilical chord
Survival chance 26%, epidermal eruption
Talking to herself.’

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