Eminescu

Gothic_Penguin · Listen to the Rain Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 197

Probably the name of Mihai Eminescu doesn't mean anything to you. Yet, he is the greatest Romanian poet, a romantic. I'd like to know your impressions related to some of his poems i will post here, the ones I find the most beautiful. Of course, they all are translated into English :-)

Gothic_Penguin · Listen to the Rain Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 197

ONE WISH ALONE HAVE I

In some calm land
Beside the sea to die;
Upon its strand
That I forever sleep,
The forest near,
A heaven clear
Stretched over the peaceful deep.
No candles shine,
Nor tomb I need, instead
Let them for me a bed
Of twigs entwine.

That no one weeps my end,
Nor for me grieves,
But let the autumn lend
Tongues to the leaves,
When brooklet ripples fall
With murmuring sound,
And moon is found
Among the pine-trees tall,
While softly rings
The wind its trembling chime
And over me the lime
Its blossom flings.

As I will then no more
A wanderer be,
Let them with fondness store
My memory.
And Hyperion the while,
Above the pine,
Good comrade mine,
Will on me gently smile;
In mournful mood,
The sea sing sad refrain…
And I be earth again
In solitude.

(Translated by Corneliu M. Popescu; adapted by: Tudor Ionescu)

Gothic_Penguin · Listen to the Rain Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 197

BLUE FLOWER

"You ride the clouds and range the sky
Your net about the stars cast;
But do remember dear at last
My soul can never soar so high.

You build tall palaces in Spain
Of fancy's fragile masonry;
You search in vain the sullen sea
And roam Assyria's plains in vain.

The pyramids their summits press
Against the clouded heavens high,
Dear heart, it is not wise to fly
Too far afield for happiness!"

T'was thus she spoke in whispers low,
Her hand laid softly on my head,
But l just laughed and nothing said,
Yet what she told was truth, l know.

"Come where cool crystal brooks complain
Their fleeting fate midst forest greens,
And where the hanging cliff out leans
As though to thunder on the plain.

And somewhere, up some little glade,
To gather raspberries we will climb,
Or sit and watch the sky sublime
From near the rushes' tasselled shade.

While many a story you will tell,
And many a lie you'll whisper too;
But l will read on petals true
You love me not, you love me well.

As rosy as an apple's rind
Will be my cheeks burnt by the sun,
And my long golden hair undone
Around your neck in coils you'll wind.

While if your lips on mine should burn
No one in all the world will know,
My hat is broad...and even so,
T'were only your and my concern.

And whet moon comes shining through
The gap where tangled branches part,
You'll hold me very close, dear heart,
And l will clasp my arms round you.

And when we walk the twilight gloom
Of forest paths that homeward run,
We'll gather many a kiss, each one
As fragrant as the violets' bloom.

And long amid the starlight glow
We'll stand to talk outside my gate,
For no one comes that way so late,
And who should care l love you so?"

Another kiss and she was gone;
Like post l stood in the moan's stream!
O beautiful beyond a dream,
O small blue flower all my own!

......................................................

Alas our love that grew so fair
Has flown and faded from that hour,
O my blue flower, my blue flower!
The world is sorrow everywhere.

(Translated by Corneliu M. Popescu)