Words and Verse
Two Short Poems (Translation-Galician)
Here are two more poems that I have translated from Rosalía de Castro's Galician. The first is a general retort to anyone who says all poetry is cliché, the second shows, once again, her morriña, and longing for what is gone.
I know there's nothing really
Beneath the sky that's new
And all the thoughts I have now
Were someone else's too.
So why do I keep writing?
Because that's what we do,
Like clocks with arms repeating
The same old ticks anew.
****
May how long, how long you are,
All with blooms and roses covered,
Death for some, and for the others
Marriage of the loved and lover.
May, how long, how long you are
May, how short you were for me,
My delight and joy came with you
And with you again they flee.
Originals
Ben sei que non hai nada
novo embaixo do ceo,
que antes outros pensaron
as cousas que hora eu penso.
E ben, ¿para qué escribo?
E ben, porque así semos,
relox que repetimos
eternamente o mesmo.
***
Mayo longo, longo mayo,
todo cubierto de rosa
para alguns tela de morte,
para outros telas de boda
Mayo, longo mayo, longo
fuches curto para min
veu contigo a miña dicha
volveu contigo o fuxir
I know there's nothing really
Beneath the sky that's new
And all the thoughts I have now
Were someone else's too.
So why do I keep writing?
Because that's what we do,
Like clocks with arms repeating
The same old ticks anew.
****
May how long, how long you are,
All with blooms and roses covered,
Death for some, and for the others
Marriage of the loved and lover.
May, how long, how long you are
May, how short you were for me,
My delight and joy came with you
And with you again they flee.
Originals
Ben sei que non hai nada
novo embaixo do ceo,
que antes outros pensaron
as cousas que hora eu penso.
E ben, ¿para qué escribo?
E ben, porque así semos,
relox que repetimos
eternamente o mesmo.
***
Mayo longo, longo mayo,
todo cubierto de rosa
para alguns tela de morte,
para outros telas de boda
Mayo, longo mayo, longo
fuches curto para min
veu contigo a miña dicha
volveu contigo o fuxir
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Two Short Poems (Translation-Galician)
Two Short Poems (Translation-Galician)
