luka
Well-known member
can't remember who he's writing to but you can imagine the kind of thing referred to.... the zen pastiche of the english language haiku and so on
Very short poems you like
- Thread starter Benny Bunter
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Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Eternity
He who binds to himself a joy
Does the wingéd life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity’s sunrise.
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Vaquero
woops
is not like other people
Beckett wrote some interesting short ones in French which are tricky to translate. He called them mirlitonnades
for example
en face
le pire
jusqu'a ce
qu'il fasse rire
roughly,
opposite
the worst
until
it makes [one] laugh
although you might substitute "facing" for "opposite" with a change of sense, or perhaps "across from" which is not very elegant.
also beckett splits the french construction that means until over two lines which is impossible to capture in english
"it makes laugh"is not english though it is a word-for-word translation of the french so i don't know how you'd deal with that
and, as always, the music is completely destroyed in translation
but the french is compact and effective
for example
en face
le pire
jusqu'a ce
qu'il fasse rire
roughly,
opposite
the worst
until
it makes [one] laugh
although you might substitute "facing" for "opposite" with a change of sense, or perhaps "across from" which is not very elegant.
also beckett splits the french construction that means until over two lines which is impossible to capture in english
"it makes laugh"is not english though it is a word-for-word translation of the french so i don't know how you'd deal with that
and, as always, the music is completely destroyed in translation
but the french is compact and effective
woops
is not like other people
here's another good one
fous qui disiez
jamais plus
vite
redites
again roughly
you madmen who said
never again
quick
say it again
impossible to translate the play on fous (madmen) / vous (you) although the verb ending on disiez makes it clear he means you, ie it is an address to certain madmen, not just any old madmen
fous qui disiez
jamais plus
vite
redites
again roughly
you madmen who said
never again
quick
say it again
impossible to translate the play on fous (madmen) / vous (you) although the verb ending on disiez makes it clear he means you, ie it is an address to certain madmen, not just any old madmen
woops
is not like other people
Not particularly short but as this is where I'm talking about translation here's my version of Rimbaud's Bottom. NB the French title is also "Bottom", making it clear this is a reference to the Shakespeare character; there are other Rimbaud poems about the bottoms we sit on, though.
BOTTOM
Reality being too full of difficulties for my great character; - I found myself nevertheless at my lady's house, in the form of a big grey-blue bird shaking itself dry towards the ornaments of the ceiling and dragging a wing through the shadows of the evening.
I was, at the foot of the rug bearing its beloved jewels and physical masterpieces, a fat bear with violet gums and fur gone grey with sadness, eyes of crystal and the silver of sideboards.
All was shadow and burning aquariums. In the morning - dawn of a warlike June - I ran to the fields, an ass, trumpeting and brandishing my grief, until the Sabine women of the suburbs came to throw themselves at my chest.
BOTTOM
Reality being too full of difficulties for my great character; - I found myself nevertheless at my lady's house, in the form of a big grey-blue bird shaking itself dry towards the ornaments of the ceiling and dragging a wing through the shadows of the evening.
I was, at the foot of the rug bearing its beloved jewels and physical masterpieces, a fat bear with violet gums and fur gone grey with sadness, eyes of crystal and the silver of sideboards.
All was shadow and burning aquariums. In the morning - dawn of a warlike June - I ran to the fields, an ass, trumpeting and brandishing my grief, until the Sabine women of the suburbs came to throw themselves at my chest.
woops
is not like other people
yes you're right ha lol
sus
Moderator
Atlantis by W H Auden
Comments & analysis: Being set on the idea / Of getting to Atlantis, / You have discovered of course / Only the
allpoetry.com
woops
is not like other people
Very longAtlantis by W H Auden
Comments & analysis: Being set on the idea / Of getting to Atlantis, / You have discovered of course / Only the
sus
Moderator
No it's as short as epic poems get
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
The Warning
For love—I wouldsplit open your head and put
a candle in
behind the eyes.
Love is dead in us
if we forget
the virtues of an amulet
and quick surprise.
Robert Creeley
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Quite creepy that one.
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Start
Spill the dish his lip said,
at the side, this one, stop
and run and stop then. Was
the day wet when he set
to it, for his cheek the step
on top. Wish to wish inside,
the slip led to this. Within
and done, a life of silt.
Spill the dish his lip said,
at the side, this one, stop
and run and stop then. Was
the day wet when he set
to it, for his cheek the step
on top. Wish to wish inside,
the slip led to this. Within
and done, a life of silt.
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Read it out loud, it gives your lips a good workout
