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Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXIV): Mikhail LERMONTOV (1814-1841) RUSSIA: “The Sail”, “Pânzele Albe”

February 14th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXIV): Mikhail LERMONTOV (1814-1841) RUSSIA: “The Sail”, “Pânzele Albe” · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Când în albastrul, de-azur, orizont
Soarele-apare aşa minunat,
Oare de ce m-a împins a mea soartă
Spre mii de primejdii să fi înfruntat?

Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN,
© 2016 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London
Below, a current azure bright,
Above, a golden ray of sun…
Rebellious, it seeks out a storm
As if in storms it could find peace!

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXIII): Sophia PARNOK (1885-1933) RUSSIA: “Today I do not want you”, “Astăzi nu vă vreau”

February 12th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXIII): Sophia PARNOK (1885-1933) RUSSIA: “Today I do not want you”, “Astăzi nu vă vreau” · Books, Famous People, History, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Don’t seduce me down dark alleys,
To the places left behind –
To the bold or to the timid
Lips I’ve kissed so many times.
Nu mă-mbia să merg pe căi de noapte,
Spre locuri ce-am lăsat demult departe.
Celui mult prea timid, sau prea adept
De sânuri, ce demult am strâns la piept.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXII): Marina TSVETAEVA (1892-1941) RUSSIA: “A kiss on the forehead”, “Sărut pe frunte”

February 12th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXII): Marina TSVETAEVA (1892-1941) RUSSIA: “A kiss on the forehead”, “Sărut pe frunte” · Books, Diaspora, Famous People, History, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Sărut pe frunte
Marina TSVETAEVA
(1892-1941)
Un sărut pe frunte – şterge mizeria.
Iţi sărut fruntea.
Un sărut pe ochi – şterge insomnia
Iţi sărut ochii.
Un sărut pe buze – e-un pahar cu apă.
Iţi sărut buzele.
Un sărut pe buze – iţi şterge memoria.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXXI): Rosalia de CASTRO (1837-1885) SPAIN/GALICIA: “He Who Weeps Goes Not Alone”, “Cel ce plange nu-i singur ”

February 9th, 2016 · 1 Comment · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Cel ce plânge nu-i singur mereu,
Voi, lacrimi, să curgeţi din plin!
O singură jale este mult prea puţin;
Căci ferice să fi este greu.

Când destinul hain, mă-nconvoaie din plin,
Sufletul e pierdut pe cărare;
Resemnată păşesc spre destinul divin:
Când amarul mă-ndreaptă spre zare.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXX): Jordi DOCE (b. 1967), SPAIN/GALICIA: “Somewhere”, “Undeva”

February 8th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXX): Jordi DOCE (b. 1967), SPAIN/GALICIA: “Somewhere”, “Undeva” · Books, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations

You live in a city where the map of the side streets dangerously resembles that of your heart. A city where the stains and chips in the walls are windows that follow your steps, doors that no one dares to enter. Where the hung laundry sends coded messages and the glassy eyes of fish exchange glances of recognition with the copper coins of the servants.
Trăieşti într-un oraş a cărui hartă a mahalalelor arată incomod de asemănătoare cu o hartă a inimii. Un oraş unde petele şi cioburile din pereţi şi ferestre îţi urmăresc paşii acolo unde nimeni nu vrea să intre. Unde rufele atârnate pe frânghie trimet mesaje codificate, unde ochii sticloşi ai peştilor schimbă priviri asemănătoare bacşişului mărunt al servitorilor.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXIX): Roald DAHL (1916 – 1990), UK/ENGLAND: “Hot and Cold”, “Cald şi Frig”, “Chaud et Froid”

February 7th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXIX): Roald DAHL (1916 – 1990), UK/ENGLAND: “Hot and Cold”, “Cald şi Frig”, “Chaud et Froid” · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

A woman who my mother knows
Came in and took off all her clothes.
Said I, not being very old,
‘By golly gosh, you must be cold!’
Ma belle voisine, elle est venue
Un jour, d’emblée, se mettre nue.
Étant trop jeune et sans émoi,
Lui dis-je: Mon Dieu, vous aurez froid!
Mais, pas du tout! même au contraire!
Je suis à voile et à vapeur…
‘No, no!’ she cried. ‘Indeed I’m not!
I’m feeling devilishly hot!’

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXVIII): James FENTON (b. 1959, Lincoln) UK/ENGLAND: “In Paris With You ”, “La Paris cu tine”

February 1st, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXVIII): James FENTON (b. 1959, Lincoln) UK/ENGLAND: “In Paris With You ”, “La Paris cu tine” · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Do you mind if we do not go to the Louvre
If we say sod off to sodding Notre Dame,
If we skip the Champs Elysées
And remain here in this sleazy
Old hotel room
Doing this and that
To what and whom
Learning who you are,
Learning what I am.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXVI & CCCLXXVII): Iulian BOLDEA (b. 1963) – TRANSYLVANIA / ROMANIA “Portrait d’une femme”, “In your body’s maze”, “Kant”, “Lex moralis”,

January 29th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXVI & CCCLXXVII): Iulian BOLDEA (b. 1963) – TRANSYLVANIA / ROMANIA “Portrait d’une femme”, “In your body’s maze”, “Kant”, “Lex moralis”, · Books, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

in your body’s maze
no wonder remains intact
no sadness could be surmised
within the concave mirror of your mind
only the unconsumed kisses
trickle in the corner of your lips
like a misinterpreted smile like
a disturbingly real
chimera.
Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London, 2016
© 2016 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXV): Pablo NERUDA (1904 – 1973) – CHILE “Sonet XVII”, “Soneto XVII”

January 25th, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXV): Pablo NERUDA (1904 – 1973) – CHILE “Sonet XVII”, “Soneto XVII” · Books, Diaspora, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, Translations

Te amo sin saber como, ni cuándo, ni de donde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,

sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.

La tine, în genunchi, fără apel,
Mă-ndrept lăsând uitat orgoliul greu…
Te-ador ne mai crezând într-un alt fel.

Căci dorul nu mai pot să-l stăvilesc,
Cuprinsă-aşa de strâns la trupul meu,
Privirile-ţi în vis îmi înfloresc.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXIV): Nicanor Parra (n. 1914, Chile) – “Warnings”, “Atenţie”

January 21st, 2016 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLXXIV): Nicanor Parra (n. 1914, Chile) – “Warnings”, “Atenţie” · Books, Diaspora, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Please Flush Toilet
After Each Use
Except When Train
Is Standing At Station
Be thoughtful
Of The Next Passenger
Onward Christian Soldiers
Workers of the World unite
We have nothing to loose [sic]
but our life Glory to the Father
& to the Son & to the Holy Ghost
unless otherwise instructed
Vă rugăm trageţi lanţul la closet
După întrebuinţare
În afară dacă trenul este în gară

Fiţi atenţi
La ceilalţi pasageri gen
Proletari din toate ţările uniţi-vă
Căci n-avem ce pierde [sic]
Decât viaţa noastră Bine-cuvântat fie Tatăl
Şi Fiul şi Sfântul Duh
În afară de caz contrar
Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London, 2016
© 2016 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

Centre for Romanian Studies