Thursday, March 25, 2021

Nuit de Noces

Human writing reflects that of the universe; it is its translation, but also its metaphor: it says something totally different, and it says the same thing.
~Octavio Paz



I wasn't sure I would do a project for National Poetry Month, but then I got an idea from my Duolingo studies. Here at The Opposite of Indifference, on Fridays I'd like to share short poems that are in two languages. You are welcome to send me yours and I will post them! I am picturing 2-8 lines in a stanza, two stanzas (one English, one another language). But I'm flexible.

You don't have to be fluent. In fact, the essence of this project is the joy of learning more words! The beauty of words, the differences, similarities, sounds, challenges. Write me if you're interested (tabatha(at)tabathayeatts(dot)com).

Night Wedding/Nuit de Noces

Les champs à la lune: Chantez!
Nous attraperons le bouquet.

The fields to the moon: Sing!
We will catch the bouquet.

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Soul Blossom Living has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Susan!

13 comments:

Linda Mitchell said...

Tabatha, this makes me so happy! I might not join in every day....but I will join you some. I love learning words in other languages and you've planted a seed of an idea of something I can do with students.

Linda B said...

Quel importante apprendre dans un langue nouveau! I used to speak it, but have lost that facility, can still read pretty well. This is a wonderful idea, Tabatha. Will see what I can do 'en francais'

jama said...

What a lovely idea for a NPM project. Merci beaucoup!

Janice Scully said...

What a great idea and a wonderful way to use your language skills and learn. I love your interplay between the moon and the fields.

Margaret Simon said...

Love this idea, and the wedding bouquet thrown to the moon.

Kay said...

I love this idea for dual language poems. I look forward to reading and am inspired to start back with my own duolingo lessons.

Bridget Magee said...

Yay for Duolingo language learning, Tabatha! And yay for your French/English poem - I love to catch bouquets. I'm on a 697-day German language learning streak - and counting! You've inspired me to take my Deutsch acquisition to the next level and try to write a dual language poem. Thank you! I'll share with you... :)

Cathy said...

This is a great idea! I have been participating in the Slice of Life Challenge. On Fridays there are several bloggers who have been posting in other languages. It's fascinating.

Karen Edmisten said...

What an inspired idea, Tabatha! I'm looking forward to the beauty of April, winningly kicked off with your contribution here. xo

Ruth said...

Great project! I'll have to see if I can come up with something...

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Love your poem, T, and your idea for NPM. I'm ashamed to say, after all my years of French in school, I'm still a coward when it comes to trying to speak or write it. I am looking forward to reading others' poems though. I so admire Julie Paschkis for writing Flutter & Hum without being fluent in Spanish. To me, that book is beautiful and remarkable.

michelle kogan said...

What a lovely idea to have the field "catch the bouquet." Intriguing challenge-perhaps I can try one, though I only know bits and pieces of other languages–but there's always help online, thanks Tabatha!

tanita✿davis said...

Thank you for the invitation to this... I'd been trying since I learned the word in MY Duolingo studies to fiddle with a short poem based on my discovery of "bewolkt" which in Dutch means cloudy (basically beclouded, because wolk is cloud). It ties to the title of my autumn release MG book PARTLY CLOUDY and I thought it'd be a fun exercise. We'll see how it goes!!