Paris

Entries Tagged as 'Paris'

PEOPLE I MET – Haroun TAZIEFF (1914-1988)

March 23rd, 2017 · 1 Comment · Diary, Diaspora, Famous People, PEOPLE, Poetry, Science, Short Stories & Cameos

Madame Tazieff-mère was, as one would have expected, a formidable lady, in every respect, and, for that matter, larger than life… At the age of 70 she just returned from riding in the forest nearby. Beside her sporting pursuits, Madame Tazieff was a dedicated artiste painter, in strong chromatic touches and her canvasses decorated the walls of the entire house. In true Russian fashion, she made sure that she remained the focus of attention.

“Blouse Roumaine”, ou le rayonnement de la culture Roumaine en France: par Constantin ROMAN

January 30th, 2017 · Comments Off on “Blouse Roumaine”, ou le rayonnement de la culture Roumaine en France: par Constantin ROMAN · Books, Communist Prisons, Diaspora, Famous People, History, OPINION, PEOPLE, Poetry, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, quotations, Reviews, Science, Translations

“Blouse Roumaine” is not intended as a feminist book, although it will interest feminists. However this Anthology reflects the social history of a corner of Europe through the perception and the avatars of Romanian women, who remained native, or those who took the sad road of exile.
This anthology covers both 19th and the 20th centuries, with an emphasis on women since WWII. A number of ‘unknown illustrious’ women, whom the author considers quite exceptional for their character, are also included, such as political prisoners, women of the maquis, who perished in the Romanian gulags, (not just the upper classes and the dispossessed, but also the less formally educated, farming, or working class women).

Dictionary of Romanian Quotations – Letter “L”

November 10th, 2016 · Comments Off on Dictionary of Romanian Quotations – Letter “L” · Diaspora, Famous People, International Media, OPINION, PEOPLE, quotations, Translations

Lover:
“After the metaphors, the Chemist. This is how great sentiments are frittered away. To start as a poet and finish as a gynaecologist. From all conditions, that of the lover is the least enviable.”
(Emil Cioran (1911-1995), philosopher, writer)
(“Syllogismes de l’amertume”)

BLOUSE ROUMAINE: Daughters of BESSARABIA – Milita PATRASCU (b. 1883, Nisporeni, MOLDOVA – d. 1976, Bucharest, ROMANIA)

June 26th, 2016 · Comments Off on BLOUSE ROUMAINE: Daughters of BESSARABIA – Milita PATRASCU (b. 1883, Nisporeni, MOLDOVA – d. 1976, Bucharest, ROMANIA) · Art Collections, Art Exhibitions, Books, Communist Prisons, Famous People, History, International Media, PEOPLE, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, quotations

Milita Pàtrascu (b. 31 December 1883, Nisporeni, Bessarabia – d. 1 February 1976, Bucharest): Sculptor, pupil of Constantin Brâncusi, graphic artist/illustrator, member of the 1930s-1940s Avant-Garde Group Arta Nouà Movement
Arrested in 1959 by Romania’s Communist regime but saved by writer and politician Mihail Sadoveanu and kept instead under house arrest.

Poetry in Translation (CCCLX), Paul CELAN (1920, Cernăuți, Bucovina, Romania – 1970, Paris, France), ROMANIA/FRANCE: “PANTA”, “La Pente”, “Die Halde”

October 10th, 2015 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Reviews, Science, Translations

Tu vis près de moi, telle que moi :
comme une pierre
dans la joue affaissée de la nuit.
…
Ô cet œil ivre
qui erre ici comme nous
nous confond à lui
et s’en étonne.

Exişti alături de mine, ca şi mine însumi:
ca o piatră
în obrazul supt al nopţii.

O, acest ochi beat
rătăcitor ca şi noi
ne confundă
şi este surprins.

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

Poetry in Translation (CCCLI), Constantin Virgil GHEORGHIU (1916-1992) ROMANIA, FRANCE: ”Sonnet”, “Sonet”

August 22nd, 2015 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCCLI), Constantin Virgil GHEORGHIU (1916-1992) ROMANIA, FRANCE: ”Sonnet”, “Sonet” · Diaspora, Famous People, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Virgil Gheorghiu, Sonet (fragment):
Asemeni lui, purtând un vis în minte,
Poeţii îşi ating desăvârşirea
Zidind iubirea vieţii în cuvinte.
Now minstrels sing his praise and utter Glory
The good and great will bring his fame abroad:
His monument to Love enshrines his Story.
Rendered in English by Constantin ROMAN,
© 2015 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

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 (CCCXVII): Constantin ROMAN (b. 1941), ROMANIA/ENGLAND – “Abbot Kir”, “Abatele Kir“

February 1st, 2015 · 2 Comments · Famous People, History, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, POLITICAL DETENTION / DISSENT, quotations, Translations

Epigram

Our good Abbot Kir
Had a dream rather queer,
Even though, he agreed, somewhat vain…
To his flute of Champagne
He would add some cassis
And he found the result utter bliss!

Când Abatele Kir, de acel renume,
S-a trezit din vis,
Turnând şampanie-n casis,
N-a crezut de fel,
Că acest cocktail,
Îi va duce o faimă în lume.

author/autor: Constantin ROMAN

Poetry in Translation (CCXXXIII): Hélène VACARESCO (Elena Văcărescu, b. 1866 Bucharest – d. 1947, Paris): “Romania”

December 5th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXXIII): Hélène VACARESCO (Elena Văcărescu, b. 1866 Bucharest – d. 1947, Paris): “Romania” · Diaspora, History, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

You may well recognise in these qualities Romania, land of suffering, land of enlightenment and of valour placed across the promontory against the dredge of Asian invasions and like a beacon being mightily conscious of defending the civilization, which gave it its people and its laws”.

(Hélène Vacaresco, Diplomat, Poet,
addressing the Societe des Nations,
Paris, 27th April 1925)

They came by Orient Express – Cameos of Times Past by Constantin ROMAN (I)

January 13th, 2013 · Comments Off on They came by Orient Express – Cameos of Times Past by Constantin ROMAN (I) · Books, Diaspora, OPINION, PEOPLE, quotations, Reviews, Translations

It must have taken the future English bride infinitely longer to get used to her picturesque, yet desperately primitive, adopted country. The couple got married, in spite of the many differences that separated them – Antoine being Elizabeth’s senior by 19 years and Elizabeth herself still being rather bruised from an emotional relationship with a previous English suitor. In the event it was quite understandable that the Asquith parents, while finding the Romanian prospect quite charming, would still have preferred their daughter to marry an Englishman of the best type. Nevertheless, the wedding to the Romanian diplomat, Prince Antoine Bibesco, took place in London’s fashionable St. Margaret’s church Westminster, in April 1919. It was a time when the Romanian nobility married frequently into French, German or Italian aristocratic families. The Bibesco-Asquith wedding was London’s wedding of the year, with the great and the good attending, from Queen Mary to George Bernard Shaw.

Centre for Romanian Studies