In Translation
Sometimes I write in another language or other times, things have been translated into other languages.
“Poetry is what gets lost in translation.” - Robert Frost
In my years as a writer and poet, I’ve dabbled in writing in another language. It isn’t an easy thing to do, write in a second or third language - but it can be done. The poetic embrace does not validate itself based on what language the thought itself wants to manifest itself in. There is room to dress as we wish, us poets.
Other times, I’ve had a few things translated into other languages. Primarily Czech and Italian but also an early travel journal was translated into Greek and won a prize - years ago. I’ll try to dig up some of these translations.
Here are a couple of poems I wrote in Spanish and French. Find the English translation accompanying them. It’s a fun exercise and certainly, I’m no exophonic writer.
“So the limits of language, so the limits of my world.” - Wittgenstein
Cervezas
Cuando somos jovenes
un par de zapatos
de mujer
con taco alto puestos
solos
en el ropero
pueden encender
tue huesos.
Cuando somos viejo
es solo
un par de cervezas
con nuestros companeros
y es tan bien.
..................................................
Beers
When we are young
a pair of women's
high heels
sitting there alone
in the closet
can get you hard
and off.
When we are old
it's only
a couple of beers
with our mates
no more, no less
and that's fine by me.
Un Leve De Soleil En France
Moi, je suis pauvre
comme le soleil
qui brille avec un majesté
laisse faire
produit d’un néant
a l’intérieur,
pauvre
loin de la nécessité
un entite
qui peu brule toute
mais ne fait pas -
je n’ai déjà rien
j’ai toute vue.
A Sunrise In France
Me, I’m poor
as the sun
which shines with a majesty
without a care,
a product of an emptiness
poor
far from necessity
that burns all
but does nothing -
I have nothing
I’ve seen it all.
A poem is never finished, merely abandoned. - Paul Valery