Literature

Entries Tagged as 'Literature'

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

Poetry in Translation (CCCXXVII), Grażyna CHROSTOWSKA (1921-1942), POLAND: “I would wander”, “Mă-ntreb…”, (Wędrowałabym…)

March 13th, 2015 · 1 Comment · International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, quotations, Translations

Then, we will go out into the winter storm
To walk against the wind,
As we always do, as we did before,
Then we part – happily, just with a smile,
Till the next rendezvous – after quite a while.

Poetry in translation (CCCXXII): Ion MINULESCU (1881– 1944), (ROMANIA) – “Rugă pentru Duminica Floriilor”, “Palm Sunday Prayer”

February 14th, 2015 · Comments Off on Poetry in translation (CCCXXII): Ion MINULESCU (1881– 1944), (ROMANIA) – “Rugă pentru Duminica Floriilor”, “Palm Sunday Prayer” · Books, Famous People, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

A glittering pearl necklace, made of sunflower seeds,
A double-winged Pegasus out of a humble bee …
Forgive me, though, dear Father, of this – mine foolish jest,
To have imagined Thee –
As I thought might be best…
But the World was too pallid, than I thought it might be.
My Lord, sprinkle my eyebrows, with drops of holly sea.
Chastise my sinful body,
Behold my tongue of python,
Remove the foolish demon, that pronounced the unheard.
Do give zest to my body, depicted in Your icon…
To forget I was ever beholden by Thy word!

Rendered in English from the original Romanian verse: by Constantin ROMAN, London
© 2015 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

Poetry in Translation (CCCXVIII): Marjorie Lowry Christie PICKTHALL (1883-1922), ENGLAND/CANADA – “Marching Men”, “Soldaţi”

February 3rd, 2015 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCXVIII): Marjorie Lowry Christie PICKTHALL (1883-1922), ENGLAND/CANADA – “Marching Men”, “Soldaţi” · Books, Famous People, International Media, OPINION, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Under the level winter sky
I saw a thousand Christs go by.
They sang an idle song and free
As they went up to calvary.

Careless of eye and coarse of lip,
They marched in holiest fellowship.
That heaven might heal the world, they gave
Their earth-born dreams to deck the grave.

With souls unpurged and steadfast breath
They supped the sacrament of death.
And for each one, far off, apart,
Seven swords have rent a woman’s heart.
În iarna cerului de plumb,
Văzut-am mii de sfinţi trecând.
Cântau un imn să uite-amarul,
Purtând, cu fruntea sus, calvarul.

Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London
© 2015 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

Poetry in Translation (CCCVIII): Christina ROSSETTI (1830-1894), ENGLAND, “HE and SHE”, “EL şi EA”

January 1st, 2015 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCVIII): Christina ROSSETTI (1830-1894), ENGLAND, “HE and SHE”, “EL şi EA” · Poetry, quotations, Translations

“Should one of us remember,
And one of us forget,
I promise you what I will do—
And I’m content to wait for you,
And not be sure as yet.”

De ne vom aminti cândva,
Căci unul dintre noi, poate-ar uita,
Eu o să-ţi spun ce-aşi face:
Aşi fi felice să te-aştept,
Dar încă nu o pot s-o cred.

Poetry in Translation, (CCLXXXVIII) Alexandru VLAHUȚĂ (1858-1919), ROMANIA: “Bereft Country”, “Ţară de pripas” –

May 6th, 2014 · No Comments · PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

In one decade all those arse lickers
Reached to the heights that ever were:
Too many of the baseless drifters
Each one is now millionaire.

Come join the spoils, you foreign dread,
To pluck out all that might be left!
What can one do? What can be said?
As our country is bereft!

Poetry in Translation, (CCLXXX) – ROMANIA, Radu GYR (1905-1975): “We say no more”, “Tãcem din gurã “

April 1st, 2014 · 2 Comments · History, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, quotations, Translations

“We say no more”,
by Radu GYR
(poem from the Communist prisons – fragment)
The frost had found its deepest home,
like hunger biting to the bone,
as night and day the wound is sore,
we clench the teeth to say no more.
6.
I’m silent like the doorway lock
And like the inmates in the dock.
At night, in all the prison cells,
I hear the friends’ tormented wails.
7.
But from afar I hear a thunder
as if the walls do fall asunder
and heavy chains break on the floor…
we clench the teeth and say no more.
(Aiud political prison)
Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN
© 2014 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

Poetry in Translation (CCXXXVII): W. H. AUDEN, (1907, York – 1973, Vienna): “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone”, “Oprește orologiul”

December 9th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXXVII): W. H. AUDEN, (1907, York – 1973, Vienna): “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone”, “Oprește orologiul” · PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Poetry in Translation (CCXXXII): England, Philip LARKIN (1922-1985), “Heads in the Women’s Ward”, “Azil”

December 3rd, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXXII): England, Philip LARKIN (1922-1985), “Heads in the Women’s Ward”, “Azil” · International Media, Poetry, quotations, Translations, Uncategorized

Philip LARKIN (1922-1985)
Heads in the Women’s Ward
On pillow after pillow lies
The wild white hair and staring eyes;
Jaws stand open; necks are stretched
With every tendon sharply sketched;
A bearded mouth talks silently
To someone no one else can see.
Sixty years ago they smiled
At lover, husband, first-born child.
Smiles are for youth. For old age come
Death’s terror and delirium.

Poetry in Translation (CCXXIX): Rabrindranath TAGORE, (1861-1941), INDIA, “My Song”, “Cântec”

November 30th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXIX): Rabrindranath TAGORE, (1861-1941), INDIA, “My Song”, “Cântec” · International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

My Song
Rabrindranath Tagore
(1861-1941), India

This song of mine will wind its music around you,
my child, like the fond arms of love.
The song of mine will touch your forehead
like a kiss of blessing.
When you are alone it will sit by your side and
whisper in your ear, when you are in the crowd
it will fence you about with aloofness.
My song will be like a pair of wings to your dreams,
it will transport your heart to the verge of the unknown.
It will be like the faithful star overhead
when dark night is over your road.
My song will sit in the pupils of your eyes,
and will carry your sight into the heart of things.
And when my voice is silenced in death,
my song will speak in your living heart.

Centre for Romanian Studies