Month: October 2017
Reading: A Life by Edith Södergran
Edith Södergran (1892-1923) published 5 collections of poetry. She was one of the first modernists of Swedish-language literature. Browsing her poetry, I liked this one, called 'A life'. I read an English translation by Averill Curdy that goes as follows: A life That the stars are adamant everyone understands— but I won’t give up seeking joy ...
Reading: The second Madrigal by Anna Swir
Today my eye fell on Polish poet Anna Swir (Świrszczyńska) (1909-1984). I read the translation by Czeslaw Milosz: The Second Madrigal A night of love exquisite as a concert from old Venice played on exquisite instruments. Healthy as a buttock of a little angel. Wise as an anthill. Garish as air blown into a trumpet. Abundant ...
Great was that chase with the hounds for the unattainable meaning
of the world.
And now I am ready to keep running
When the sun rises beyond the borderlands of death.
- Czesław Miłosz
Message to the future
I risk an early death by sitting down for this so listen: my clavicles move like daggers to write cut-throat poetry for you no jokes. no mirrors. This here is a message you cannot unread. Also, it ages less quickly than we do. When you and I have turned into dust, this thing will be ...
Reading: Via Velasca by Leonardo Sinisgalli
Leonardo Sinisgalli (1908-1981) studied engineering and mathematics before he became a poet, and they appear to call him the "engineer poet". Here is a
The Gods are Back
The gods are back, companions. Right now they have just entered this life; but the words that revoke them, whispered underneath the words that reveal them, have also appeared that we might suffer together. - René Char
For though I'm small, I know many things,
and my body is an endless eye
through which, unfortunately, I see everything. - Gloria Fuentes
Reading: I hear that the axe has flowered by Paul Celan
Today, let's dive into a mysterious poem by the great Paul Celan, in a translation by Michael Hamburger. I hear that the axe has flowered I hear that the axe has flowered, I hear that the place can't be named, I hear that the bread which looks at him heals the hanged man, the bread ...
Poetry
Poetry is always celebration
or its opposite. Making blackness
the word for everything:
A symbol, a sound,
To fill us
and to fill the tombs in our midst.
Reading: St. Sava’s Journey by Vasko Popa
The following poem by Serbian poet Vasko Popa (1922-1991) in the translation of Anne Paddington, did impress me. St. Sava's Journey He journeys over the dark land With his staff he cuts The dark beyond him into four He flings thick gloves Changed into immense cats At the grey army of mice Amid the storm ...
Reading: Meeting by Marina Tsvetsaeva
Marina Tsvetsaeva (1892-1941) I read Meeting in an English translation by
Reading: Verwandlung by Georg Trakl
Today I read a poem by my famous German expressionist, Georg Trakl (1887-1914). I couldn't find a translation of die Verwandlung online, so I created one myself. There is a website where you can contribute poetry translations, and I
A GARDEN
In my mind I have created a garden populated with insects who don't bite and birds who don't shit on my paper when I write there is a lily pond, with frogs who know Bach However, they keep quiet. This is my refuge where nothing pierces through the surface every ripple is merely the smile ...
Person of color
A person of color walks into a bar he gets seated on a prominent stool and whispers "triple scotch please" the bartender, who since the unfortunate event two weeks ago, is a person of color too, says right away sir and pours his drink and Nina sings Nina Simone was a person of color, too. ...
Reading: Kinaxixi by Augostinho Neto
Today, I wanted to read a poem by Hugo von Hofmannthal or Wisława Szymborska, but I couldn't find (the time to make) a good translation of the German genius and I'm not fond of the Polish Nobel Prize winner. So I read a ne else sitting next to him. Happens every day, on thousands of squares ...
Reading: Enigma with Flower by Pablo Neruda
The great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904-1973, born as Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto) deserves a place in our anthology as well. I browsed his poetry and found this item, 'Enigma with Flower' suitable for today's short reading. Victory. It has come late, I had not learnt how to arrive, like the lily, at will, the white figure, that pierces ...
EIFFEL TOWER
In Vegas and Macau they have fake Eiffel towers. Smaller of course than the original in Paris. They are there to invoke Paris. The Eiffel tower is 324 meters high I learned that number in school. One day someone will build a taller one in Shanghai or Dubai or Doha or such place Years will amplify ...
“As a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened”
―
You and Me
Would you come over and steal everything? that would be great. There are enough words but there must be light I cannot usurp alone all the words who write. Come stealthily, come at night I'll leave some papers on my desk take all you need and run with it Use them up! You are not ...
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life — Terry Pratchett