Retour au monde - with translation

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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2006-02-22 03:37 PM

RETOUR AU MONDE
1984

Ce matin trempé du gris
au dehors, au dedans,
l’esprit, mort comme celui
d’un enfant avorté,
je me réveille.
Le vide me remplit
de son rien.
L’apathie m’a vaincue
décisivement
et je reproche le sommeil
qui m’a rejetée de ses bras -
de son royaume.
Lasse de tous, j’entends au dehors
un oiseau dont je connais le nom,
puis un autre, et je les nomme,
et puis d’autres, et je me demande
qu’est-ce qu’ils trouvent
dans la naissance du jour
de quoi chanter.
Pauvres bêtes, ne savent-ils pas
que la vie ne vaut rien?

Ils sont trop simples
pour le comprendre
- où peut-être trop savants?

Comme Lawrence a regardé son serpent,
j’entends mes oiseaux passivement.
Et puis sans m’en rendre compte,
comme le marin de l’œil étincellant,
j’admire mes oiseaux savants,
Leurs esprits infatigables, indomptables
et leur chant perlé
m’émeuvent,
et me laissent l’esprit moins vide,
et je suis consciente
que je vais essayer
encore une fois
de sourire.

RETURN TO THE WORLD
1984

This morning dampened with grey
outside, inside,
my spirit, dead as that of
an aborted child,
I awake.
Emptiness fills me
with its nothing.
Apathy has conquered me
decisively
and I reproach sleep
which has tossed me aside from its arms -
from its kingdom.
Tired of everything, I hear outside
a bird of which I know the name,
then another, and I name them,
and then others, and I ask myself
what it is that they find
in the birth of the day
to sing about.
Poor souls, don’t they know
that life is worth nothing?

They are too simple
to understand
- or perhaps too wise?

As Lawrence looked at his snake,
I hear my birds passively.
And then without realising it,
like the mariner with the glittering eye,
I admire my wise birds,
their untiring, indomitable spirits
and their enchanting singing
moves me,
and leaves me with my spirit less empty,
and I am conscious
that I am going to try
once again
to smile.

- Owl

iliana
Member Patricius

since 2003-12-05

Posts 13434
USA

1 posted 2006-02-22 04:38 PM

Diana, this is so true. Sometimes, I've watched birds swirling in figure 8s in the sky, and all care abandoms me in the realization, they are just doing as they were created to do.....oh, if it were that simple for humans!

.....jo

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

2 posted 2006-02-22 04:46 PM

It's been many, many years since I studied French, yet found myself understanding most of the French version! Thanks for giving us the full translation in English.
I love watching and listening to birds!

StevenS
Senior Member

since 2005-09-21

Posts 945
L. A. (Lower Alabama)

3 posted 2006-02-22 05:26 PM

I needed that.:-) I'll be listening a little closer to the birds from now on. :-)

The Lady
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-12-26

Posts 7634
The Southwest

4 posted 2006-02-22 05:26 PM

Ahhhhh... chills here Diana. Lovely, lovely work.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

5 posted 2006-02-23 01:27 PM

Glad you share the feeling iliana.  Humans may not be able to do that (and imagine the chaos they would create in the sky!), but they can do it vicariously, by experiencing the birds doing it.

Me too, Midnitesun, I also enjoy watching and listening to the birds.  Glad you enjoyed the French.  I have written quite a bit in French, all with translations.

Steven, I am happy that I have opened this up to you.  You will find your life much enriched by the birdsong.

Thanks, Kate.  I am glad you enjoyed it.

- Owl

LeeJ
Member Patricius

since 2003-06-19

Posts 13296

6 posted 2006-02-24 01:04 PM

Diana, when I first started reading this, could relate to thoughts once swimming around in my pea brain, but then the ending made the beginning even that much more brilliant...and it is in those awesome times, we realize so the necessities in simple, do we not.

Hugs and many thanks

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

7 posted 2006-02-24 11:49 PM

Thanks Lee - just one thing, though, your brain is most definitely not a pea brain, but a very beautifully complex, creative factory amongst many other things, as everyone will confirm!

- Owl

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