Autumn

L'automne

Maurice Carême (1899-1978)

L'automne
L’automne au coin du bois Joue de l’harmonica. Quelle joie chez les feuilles! Elles valsent au bras du vent qui les emporte. On dit qu’elles sont mortes, Mais personne n’y croit. L’automne au coin du bois Joue de l’harmonica. Quelle joie chez les feuilles!
Autumn
Autumn plays on his mouth-organ in woodland ways. They love it, the leaves! Away they waltz on the arm of the breeze. Someone said they are dead which no-one believes. Autumn plays on his mouth-organ in woodland ways. They love it, the leaves!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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To Draw a Little Man

Pour dessiner un bonhomme

Maurice Carême (1899-1978)

Pour dessiner un bonhomme
Deux petits ronds dans un rond Pour le nez, un trait droit et long Une courbe dessous, la bouche Et pour chaque oreille, une boucle Sous le beau rond, un autre rond Plus grand encore et plus oblong On peut y mettre des boutons : Quelques gros points y suffiront Deux traits vers le haut pour les bras Grands ouverts en signe de joie Et puis deux jambes dans le bas Qu’il puisse aller où il voudra Et voici un joli bonhomme Rond et dodu comme une pomme Qui rit d’être si vite né Et de danser sur mon papier
To Draw a Little Man
ROUND. Insert two more of those, smaller. Long straight line, the nose. Curve, the mouth, just under here and a buckle for each ear At the base, another ring, oblong, sturdy, strengthening: You can put some buttons too Three or four big spots will do Two more lines for arms, up high opened wide, a happy guy Then a pair of legs below going where he wants to go There he is! Your cheeky chap’ll Twinkle, tubby as an apple, Quickly born and truly glad Dancing on my drawing-pad

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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Frost

Le givre

Maurice Carême (1899-1978)

Le givre
Mon Dieu ! Comme ils sont beaux Les tremblants animaux Que le givre a fait naître La nuit sur ma fenêtre Ils broutent des fougères Dans un bois plein d’étoiles, Et l’on voit la lumière A travers leurs corps pâles. Il y a un chevreuil Qui me connaît déjà ; Il soulève pour moi Son front d’entre les feuilles. Et quand il me regarde, Ses grands yeux sont si doux Que je sens mon cœur battre Et trembler mes genoux. Laissez moi, ô décembre ! Ce chevreuil merveilleux. Je resterai sans feu Dans ma petite chambre.
Frost
Dear God, the splendours That frost engenders On my pane, the features Of trembling creatures! They’re feeding on ferns In forests of stars; Through their pale forms The daylight appears. A young roe deer knows me He knows me, now, He raises his brow In the leaves, and shows me. He sees me, he sees With his great soft eyes! My heart’s hackles rise, I shake at the knees. Leave me, December, This wonderful deer! I’ll light no fire In my little chamber.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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The Beautiful Word

Le beau mot

Maurice Carême (1899-1978)

Le beau mot
"Je reviens de l'école, Crie le petit garçon Aux hirondelles folles Qui l'accueillent en rond. Regardez, je sais lire. Voici le mot lumière, Là, tout près de l'image De la rose trémière." Et vrai les hirondelles Descendues du village Voient le beau mot briller Sur le clair de la page.
The Beautiful Word
"School’s over, I’m home, " The little boy hollers. To greet him they’ve come, The scatterbrain swallows. "I can read! won’t you look? It says Light, very clear, Quite close in the book To the hollyhock here." And it’s true! Every bird, Village swallows in flight, Sees the beautiful word On the page shining bright.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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Sonnet of homage to Manuel de Falla offering him flowers

Soneto de homenaje a Manuel de Falla ofreciéndole unas flores

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

Soneto de homenaje a Manuel de Falla ofreciéndole unas flores
Lira cordial de plata refulgente de duro acento y nervio desatado, voces y frondas de la España ardiente con tus manos de amor has dibujado. En nuestra propia sangre está la fuente que tu razón y sueños ha brotado. Álgebra limpia de serena frente. Disciplina y pasión de lo soñado. Ocho provincias de la Andalucía, olivo al aire y a la mar los remos, cantan, Manuel de Falla, tu alegría. Con el laurel y flores que ponemos, amigos de tu casa, en este día, pura amistad sencilla te ofrecemos.
Sonnet of homage to Manuel de Falla offering him flowers
Warm-hearted shining silver lyre of steady beat and supple nerve, you conjure with your hands of love voices and fronds of Spanish fire. In our own blood the wellsprings flow from which your thoughts and visions stream: clean algebra of tranquil brow, passion and discipline of dream. Sing, eight lands of Andalucía, wind in the olives, oars on sea, Manuel de Falla’s alegría. Friends of your house, now, offering our pure and simple amity, these flowers and sprigs of bay we bring.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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Epitaph for Isaac Albéniz

Epitafio a Isaac Albéniz

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

Epitafio a Isaac Albéniz
"Esta piedra que vemos levantada sobre hierbas de muerte y barro oscuro guarda lira de sombra, sol maduro, urna de canto sola y derramada. Desde la sal de Cádiz a Granada, que erige en agua su perpetuo muro, en caballo andaluz de acento duro tu sombra gime por la luz dorada. ¡Oh dulce muerto de pequeña mano! ¡Oh música y bondad entretejida! ¡Oh pupila de azor, corazón sano! Duerme cielo sin fin, nieve tendida. Sueña invierno de lumbre, gris verano. ¡Duerme en olvido de tu vieja vida!"
Epitaph for Isaac Albéniz
This stone we witness standing tall on grass of death and dismal clay guards shadow-lyre and mellow sun, the spilled and lonely urn of song. By streams Granada rears her wall; your shadow moans through gold of day. From salt Cadiz your hoofbeats run, Andalucían, pounding strong. Sweet one, small-handed one, who died! Music and goodness intertwined! The great of heart, the goshawk-eyed! Sleep, skein of snow, sky unconfined, dream, winter-light, dream, summer-grey, sleep as your old life slips away!
Lorca recited his poem at the dedication of a statue of Albéniz in the cemetery of Montjuic, Barcelona, on December 14th, 1935. Guitars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdsze_V8_S0 Spanish words chanted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG_qKmezpUk

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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Murder Ballad Of The Reichstag Fire

DIE MORITAT VOM REICHSTAGSBRAND

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956)

Nach der Melodie der ‚Moritat von Mackie Messer‘ - to the tune of 'Mack the Knife'
DIE MORITAT VOM REICHSTAGSBRAND
Als der Trommler dreizehn Jahre aller Welt verkündet hat die Verbrechen der Kommune, fand noch immer keines statt. Und die kleinen Trommler grollen es muss endlich was geschehn, die Verbrecher, seht, sie wollen die Verbrechen nicht begehn. Eines Tags, es war noch Winter, blieb man an der Panke Strand, denn der Führer sagte in der Luft liegt heut ein Reichstagsbrand. Und an diesem Montagabend stand ein hohes Haus in Brand. Fürchterlich war das Verbrechen und der Täter unbekannt. Zwar ein Knabe ward gefunden, der nur eine Hose trug Und in Leinwand eingebunden der Kommune Mitgliedsbuch. Wer hat ihm dies Buch gegeben, warum stand er hier herum? Die SA, sie stand daneben und die fragt man nicht, warum. Das Gebäude anzustecken mussten zwölf gewesen sein, denn es brannte an zwölf Ecken und war hauptsächlich aus Stein. Mittendrin in den zwölf Bränden standen zwölf von der SA wiesen mit geschwärzten Händen auf den schwachen Knaben da. Und so war denn durch den Führer die Verschwörung aufgedeckt: freilich, was noch alles aufkam hat so manchen doch erschreckt. In dem Haus, wo die Verschwörung unbedingt hindurch gemusst, wohnte ein gewisser Görung, der von allem nichts gewusst. Er gab allen Wächtern Urlaub, war des Reichstags Präsident und war grade nicht zuhause, als er hört: der Reichstag brennt! Warum gabst du deinen Wächtern heute Urlaub, Präsident? Heute ist doch grad der Montag, wo dein ganzer Reichstag brennt! Könnte man ihn so verhören, fiel ihm wohl die Antwort schwer. doch man kann ihn nicht verhören, denn verhören, das tut er. Er verhört nicht Hermann Göring, so erfährt er nicht, was wahr und was unwahr ist und schließt draus: der Kommune Schuld sei klar. Und noch eh die Nacht vergangen diesem blutgen Februar war zerschossen und gefangen, was ein Feind des Hitler war. Als zu Rom der Kaiser Nero dürstete nach Christenblut, setzte er sein Rom in Flammen und es sank in Asch und Glut. So bewies der Kaiser Nero, dass die Christen Schurken sind. Ein gewisser Hermann Göro lernte das als kleines Kind. Zu Berlin im Jahre neunzehn- hundreddrei und dreissig stand dann an einem Montagabend des letzten Reichstag Haus in Brand. Der dies sang hieß Oberfohren und der wurde nicht mehr alt als der Welt es kam zu Ohren, hat man schnell ihn abgeknallt!
Murder Ballad Of The Reichstag Fire
Thirteen years on end the Drummer warned the world of coming crime perpetrated by the Commune: hasn’t happened all this time. And the little drummers grumble: something, happen soon – it’s time! Trouble is, you see, the criminal types will not commit the crime. On the towpath - it was winter - people gathered, lingered there: for today, remarked the Führer, Reichstag Fire is in the air. On that very Monday evening stood a lofty house in flame such a dreadful crime, and no-one knew the perpetrator’s name. But a youngster was discovered he was naked to the hip from his lining they recovered book of Commune membership. Ask by whom this book was given why the dolt was standing by all those Brownshirts in the offing nobody to ask them why. How to set alight the building with twelve men it could be done it was burning at twelve corners and was mostly made of stone. Twelve fires burning: in amongst them stood twelve Brownshirts, quite a squad pointed with their blackened fingers at the feeble-minded lad. So it happened that the Führer cracked the whole conspiracy and the whole ensuing story shocked the great majority. In the house where the conspiring was unarguably planned lived a person, name of Goering unaware and ignorant. He was Chairman of the Reichstag he dismissed the sentinels when he heard ‘The Reichstag’s burning’ he of course was somewhere else. Kindly tell us Mr Chairman why you sent the guards away after all, that very Monday was the Reichstag’s burning-day. If he could be cross-examined he would struggle, to be sure but he can’t be cross-examined he’s a cross-examiner. He won’t cross-examine Goering truth and lies he will not hear takes no evidence, averring that the Commune’s guilt is clear. Long before the sun had risen February night of blood: shot to pieces or in prison all the anti-Hitler brood. Likewise Roman Caesar Nero Christian blood was to his taste so he set his Rome a-blazing soon in ash and fire effaced. Thus he proved it, Caesar Nero Christians, villains one and all and a certain Hermann Goero learnt of this when he was small. 1933 one evening Monday night in Berlin town Reichstag had no further meetings for its house had been burnt down. This was sung by Oberfohren short his life, the man who sang when the world was told the story he was nobbled with a bang!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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Telephone

Categories
Spanish

Telephone

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

El poeta habla por teléfono con el amor Tu voz regó la duna de mi pecho en la dulce cabina de madera. Por el sur de mis pies fue primavera y al norte de mi frente flor de helecho. Pino de luz por el espacio estrecho cantó sin alborada y sementera y mi llanto prendió por vez primera coronas de esperanza por el techo. Dulce y lejana voz por mí vertida. Dulce y lejana voz por mí gustada. Lejana y dulce voz amortecida. Lejana como oscura corza herida. Dulce como un sollozo en la nevada. ¡Lejana y dulce en tuétano metida!
Telephone
The poet speaks with his love on the telephone Your voice in that sweet wooden booth brought water to my heart’s dry dune. My feet had springtime to the south, north of my brow was flower of fern. In the scant space, a pine of light sang with no seed-time and no dawn, and through the roof my weeping caught the crowns of hope it had not known. Distant sweet voice revealed for me! Distant sweet voice regaling me! Sweet distant voice that sank in swoon. Distant as hunted deer laid low, Sweet as a whimper in the snow, Distant sweet marrow in the bone!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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To Mercedes on the wing

A Mercedes en su vuelo

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

A Mercedes en su vuelo
Una viola de luz yerta y helada eres ya por las rocas y la altura. Una voz sin garganta, voz oscura que suena en todo sin sonar en nada. Tu pensamiento es nieve resbalada en la gloria sin fin de la blancura. Tu perfil es perenne quemadura. Tu corazón paloma desatada. Canta ya por el aire sin cadena la matinal fragante melodía, monte de luz y llaga de azucena. Que nosotros aquí de noche y día haremos en la esquina de la pena una guirnalda de la melancolía.
To Mercedes on the wing
A violet of icy light tensed on the rocky pinnacle, your voice that has no throat but night is heard in nothing and in all. Your thoughts are snows, that drift to be in endless radiance of white: your face a flame for ever bright, your heart a turtle-dove set free. Sing through the unchained air, and sound the morning song, the fragrant-tuned, mountain of light and lily-wound. By day and night all we beneath shall walk on sorrow's crooked path and weave a melancholy wreath.
Elegy for a child

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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Sonnet of the Sweet Complaint

Soneto de la dulce queja

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

Soneto de la dulce queja
Tengo miedo a perder la maravilla de tus ojos de estatua y el acento que de noche me pone en la mejilla la solitaria rosa de tu aliento. Tengo pena de ser en esta orilla tronco sin ramas; y lo que más siento es no tener la flor, pulpa o arcilla, para el gusano de mi sufrimiento. Si tú eres el tesoro oculto mío, si eres mi cruz y mi dolor mojado, si soy el perro de tu señorío, no me dejes perder lo que he ganado y decora las aguas de tu río con hojas de mi otoño enajenado.
Sonnet of the Sweet Complaint
Let me not lose your wondrous eyes of marble, nor your voice that blows your breath, a solitary rose, between my teeth at pale moonrise. A stranded trunk without a shoot, dreading and greatly sorrowing, I have not clay nor flower nor fruit to feed my worm of suffering. Are you my secret treasury, my tears of pain, my cross? Am I the lapdog of your mastery? Let me not lose what I have gained: And let your river flow adorned with my sere leaves that fall estranged.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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