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Open Poetry #42
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Pensées Enfantines dans une Saule Pleureur (with translation)
| Open Poetry #42 |
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Pensées Enfantines dans une Saule Pleureur (with translation) |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa 
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PENSÉES ENFANTINES DANS UN SAULE PLEUREUR ±1978 Entre les feuilles autour de moi je vois de ma haute branche les nuages endormis dans un ciel comme la mer en plein midi. Je vois les fleurs des voisins et des enfants qui crient en jouant d’un ballon rouge comme une pomme. Je vois un avion mais je détourne les yeux car il ne me plaît pas et vite s’enfuit de mon ciel, de mes songes commes les autos qui passent de temps en temps dans un autre monde. J’écoute les oiseaux qui mêlent leurs voix et qui chantent à tout cœur en partageant mon jour. J’écoute les enfants qui se jettent le ballon Qu’est-ce qu’ils disent? - J’n sais pas, mais je comprends plus que leurs mots car leurs voix me crient: L’extase. J’écoute des Zoulous qui se parlent là-bas en leur langue qui ressemblent à un ruisseau heureux. Je sens la chaleur du soleil entourant mes épaules nues Et quand les feuilles soufflent, J’essaie de toucher la brise Du bout des doigts avides. Les odeurs des fleurs et de l’herbe tondue Me remplissent de rêves de ma toute petite enfance et je souris … Tu m’appelles maman? - Qu’est-ce que je fais? Est-ce que tu comprendras, maman, si je te dis que je bois l’été de tout mon corps? A CHILD’S THOUGHTS IN A WEEPING WILLOW TREE Through the leaves around me I see from my high branch the sleeping clouds in a sky like the sea at noon. I see the flowers of the neighbours and the children who shout while playing with a ball as red as an apple. I see an aeroplane but I turn my eyes away for it doesn’t please me and quickly flees from my sky, from my daydreams like the cars that pass from time to time in another world. I listen to the birds who blend their voices and who sing at the top of their voices on sharing my day. I hear the children who throw the ball to each other. What are they saying? - I don’t know but I understand more than their words for their voices shout to me: Ecstasy. I hear the Zulus who talk to each other down there in their language which resembles a happy stream. I feel the warmth of the sun encircling my bare shoulders and when the leaves rustle, I try to touch the breeze with the tips of my eager fingers. The scent of the flowers of the cut grass fill me with dreams of my very early childhood and I smile … You are calling, Mommy? - What am I doing? Are you going to understand, Mommy, if I tell you that I am drinking the summer with my whole body. - Owl |
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| © Copyright 2008 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
"I am drinking the summer with my whole body."  Bonita! "too bad ignorance isn't painful" |
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2islander2 Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825by the sea |
Hi Owl, it's very strange to read a poem in french on this site, I hope it will not be an embarrassment for the american readers... You perfectly share the atmosphere of an afternoon in South Africa, with great images and magnificent verses, you manipulate french as your first language and I guess your pupils were happy when they could hear you speaking french...Thank you very much for sharing your imagination, I will soon post a poem that I wrote for a south african poet on an other site.... Have a nice day yann |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you Susan. Thank you Yann. I am very honoured at what you say of my French, especially my French poetry. I also hope that I won't get into trouble for posting in French, but with a translation, I think it will be fine. I would love to read the poem you wrote for the South African poet. You have a lovely day too. - Owl |
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Richy Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 3050 |
Okay, I'm going to go buy me a latin dictionary and start translating my poems to latin, what do you think of that lol. Seriously Diana, that was just so wonderfully amazing! I want to be up there on your high branch with you watching the world float by, sharing a big tall drink of the African Summer. What a terrific piece this was! Rich |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
I'd love you to translate your poems into Latin (as long as you give us the English translation as well!). Actually it wasn't me in the tree, but my daughter who was in the tree, the same one (and only daughter I have) as the end of the day poem was about. The worm poem was for my son. However, I would be only too delighted to climb up into the tree with you and enjoy "the world float by and enjoying a big tall drink of African Summer" with you! - Owl |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Lovely poem, Diana. I am so glad for yann that you can comunicate with him in french. He works so hard to communicate with the rest of us in english. Ida |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
You know Ida, PIP is such a wonderful poetry forum. Anywhere else I would be being shouted down for using another language, possibly even with a translation. I expected, even here, for somebody to explain to me very sweetly that I should be sticking to English, but I should have known PIP better than that. It is such an absolute pleasure to communicate with Yann in French and I am so happy that you are pleased for him too. You don't know how well your kind words to me were timed. I sorta needed some kind words right now - and hey presto - Ida provided them. Big smiles. I am not sure whether I have posted a poem I wrote called A Difference Made. I will do a search on the Archives and if I haven't, I will. Although the poem wasn't written for you specifically, it certainly applies to you. - Owl |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Ida, I don't know how to paste the URL in here, but it's in Archive board #37. - Owl |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
quote: ... moi aussi. I am very happy to read you in French and you are very good at it, dear Diana! This is an international venue of poets and I think it is enriching if we communicate also in other languages. This was a wonderful read. Love, Bisous Margherita  |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Danke schön, Margherita. Ich weiss das du bist Deutsch, aber ich kann nicht Deutsch sprechen. Thank you for your kind words. Bisous à toi aussi. - Owl |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
I looked up and read your beautiful poem "A Difference Made" and I am honored that you would see fit to apply it to me. Thank you. Ida |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you for taking the time, Ida. And yes, although not written for anyone in particular, it applies perfectly to you. - Owl |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Saved faster than I can say "Pensees Enfantines"!   The images, the feelings evoked, the whole reading experience is one that I would like to read again and again ~ and in both versions! I enjoy reading the French versions that you write first and see what I am able to glean from it ~ and then I see what I missed in the English version. I very much enjoy these posts! This one was exceptional ~ Mind you, they all have been!  Love to you an to your daughter, Linda  |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thanks, Linda. Without wanting to hurt you, I don't think my daughter would accept your or anyone's love from me. For the last twenty or so years she has hated me. Sadly, she likes to project an image of being a neglected and unloved daughter, and whatever I do to try and fix (what never was broken), would spoil that image, so she simply won't have anything to do with me and doesn't want her children to have anything to do with me either. She says I was "never there for her" - which is blatantly untrue. She and her children and (2nd) ex-husband are in Australia. The only time I get to speak to my grandchildren is now and then when the children are with their father and he can afford to phone me, but it isn't too often as international calls are expensive. Sorry about letting all that out, but it has torn me apart for twenty or so years, but PIP is such a kind place and you are a particularly kind corner of it. - Owl |
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