poet

Entries Tagged as 'poet'

POETRY IN TRANSLATION (CCXLIII): Cecco ANGIOLIERI, (1260 – ca. 1312), Italian-Tuscan Poet, “S’i’ fosse foco….”, “If I were Fire…”, “De-aşi fi un Foc de pară…”

December 27th, 2013 · Comments Off on POETRY IN TRANSLATION (CCXLIII): Cecco ANGIOLIERI, (1260 – ca. 1312), Italian-Tuscan Poet, “S’i’ fosse foco….”, “If I were Fire…”, “De-aşi fi un Foc de pară…” · International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations, Uncategorized

S’i’ fosse Cecco, com’ I’ sono e fui,
torrei le donne givani e leggiadre;
le zoppe e laide lasserei altrui.

True to Myself, as I had always been,
I’d keep in tow the loveliest of girls,
And leave the ugliest of them, to others.

De aşi fi eu-însumi, ca întodeauna,
M-aşi veseli cu fetele frumoase,
Iar slutele – să tragă doar ponoase!

POETRY IN TRANSLATION (CCXLII): Herbert ASQUITH, (1881-1947), ENGLISH Poet, “A Dedication”, “Inchinare”

December 24th, 2013 · Comments Off on POETRY IN TRANSLATION (CCXLII): Herbert ASQUITH, (1881-1947), ENGLISH Poet, “A Dedication”, “Inchinare” · International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

A Dedication
Herbert Asquith
(1881-1947)

FRIEND if all these verses die:
Soon will you, and soon will I
But, if any word should live,
Then that word to you I give.

Închinare

Ptietene, când versu-mi va muri,
Şi noi aşa ne-om duce.
Şi-o rimă, doar, de ar mai fi, –
La piept să-ţi fie cruce.

Rendered in Romanian by: Constantin ROMAN,
© 2013, 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 (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)

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 (CCXXVIII): Maurice MAETERLINCK, (1862-1949), BELGIUM, “Heures ternes ”, “Stagnant hours ”, “Ore amorţite”

November 25th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXVIII): Maurice MAETERLINCK, (1862-1949), BELGIUM, “Heures ternes ”, “Stagnant hours ”, “Ore amorţite” · PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Ore amorţite
(Maurice Maeterlinck)

Aici sunt doruri ce se-ntrec
Prin gânduri de bătrâni ce mor
Cu alte visuri, care trec
În zile lungi, tânjind de dor.

Unde-om afla vre-un cer senin,
Când nu vom mai găsi cumva
În cale, spre un nou destin
A infinitului, vre-o stea?

În hohot sună valea toată
De victime abandonate,
Ca miei sacrificaţi de soartă…
Ai milă Doamne păcate!

Doar eu aştept când ziua trece
Să mă trezesc din somn odată,
Ca să adăst in noaptea rece,
Să îmi îngheţe fiinţa toată.

Romanian version by:
Constantin ROMAN, London,
© 2013, Copyright Constantin ROMAN

Poetry in Translation (CCXXIV): Orhan VELI KANIK, (1914-1950), ISTANBUL, “Fish in a Bottle of Booze”, “Peşte intr-o sticlă de brandy”

November 18th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXIV): Orhan VELI KANIK, (1914-1950), ISTANBUL, “Fish in a Bottle of Booze”, “Peşte intr-o sticlă de brandy” · Books, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Cumpăr straie vechi.
Cumpăr haine vechi şi le croiesc in stele.
Muzica este hrana iubirii.
Ador muzica.

Scriu versuri.
Scriu versuri şi cumpăr haine vechi.
Vând haine vechi ca să cumpăr muzică.
O, dac-aş putea, doar, să fiu un peşte intr-o sticlă de brandy …

I buy old clothes.
I buy old clothes and cut them into stars.
Music is the food of love.
I love music.

I write poetry.
I write poetry and buy old clothes.
I sell old clothes and buy music;
If I could also be a fish in a bottle of booze…

Poetry in Translation (CCXXIII): ANONYMOUS, BRITISH Poet, “Lament”

November 15th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXIII): ANONYMOUS, BRITISH Poet, “Lament” · Diaspora, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations

LAMENT

Gone are the hopes
In morning’s mist,
Unfolding
London’s spell,
In all my dreams.
Of days gone bye,
Am longing
More and more…
Of our trysts
Do hope, in vain,
In one more night
Of love!

(Chelsea, November 16)

Poetry in Translation (CCXXII): Giosue Carducci, (1835-1907), ITALY, Poet, “Inno a Satana”, “Imn Satanei”, “Hymn To Satan” (fragment)

November 14th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXXII): Giosue Carducci, (1835-1907), ITALY, Poet, “Inno a Satana”, “Imn Satanei”, “Hymn To Satan” (fragment) · International Media, Poetry, quotations, Translations

mentre sorridono
la terra e ’l sole
e si ricambiano
d’amor parole,
e corre un fremito
d’imene arcano
da’ monti e palpita
fecondo il piano;
a te disfrenasi
il verso ardito,
te invoco, o Satana,
re del convito.

Când Soarele şi Terra
îşi schimbă-n
dulci surâsuri
cuvinte de amor,
Atunci în trup palpită
un himen de arcane
din munte spre câmpie
în solul roditor;
Iar eu îţi fac ofranda
de gânduri desfrânate
când te invoc, Satană
Domniţă a Ispitei.
© 2013, Copyright Constantin ROMAN

Poetry in Translation (CCXIX): Vasko POPA (1922-1991), SERBIAN -VLACH, Poet of Serbo-Croat Expression, “Soare Orb”, “Blind Sun”

November 4th, 2013 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (CCXIX): Vasko POPA (1922-1991), SERBIAN -VLACH, Poet of Serbo-Croat Expression, “Soare Orb”, “Blind Sun” · Books, Diaspora, International Media, PEOPLE, Poetry, quotations, Translations

Two blighted legs
Holding a blind Sun.

The morning rays – gone to work
On the other side of the sky,
Rather than its threshold.

The Noon is beyond the Pale.
Cavorting with thunders,
She’s never at home.

The evening takes to the road,
The bedstead on her back,
She’s begging on some constellation.

Only the Night appears,
With outstretched arms,
To welcome a blind Sun.

Centre for Romanian Studies