Thursday, April 29, 2021

NPM: Granditer Ultimo

April is a promise that May is bound to keep.
~Hal Borland


Happy Poetry Friday! We have a bounty of dual language poems to finish up (Inter)national Poetry Month.

But first, don't forget this is your last chance to sign up to send a poem and receive a poem (or two, three, four, or five) during the summer! Email me to sign up or ask questions.


A GRAND FINALE!

A Scottish Gaelic blessing by Jone Rush MacCulloch:

fàilte air a ‘ghrian
cho dearg ri crom-lus
fàilte air a ‘ghealach
cho geal ri trì-bhileach
fàilte air na reultan
uiread ri gràinnean gainmhich
fàilte a chur air a’ mhuir
cho farsaing ris Sgrìob Chlann Uisnich
fàilte air an talmah
marmor anns a’ cruinne-cè
fàilte sìochaint


Welcome the sun
as red as a poppy
Welcome the moon
as white as bogbean
Welcome the stars
as many as grains of sand
Welcome the sea
as wide as the Milky Way
Welcome the earth
a floating marble in the universe
Welcome peacefulness

*************

A French/English poem by Ruth Hersey:

Explanation/Explication

Je me souviens du jour où
tu m’as expliqué
qu’elle n’était plus mon amie.
“Tu vois comment elle te traite?”
tu as demandé.

Est-ce que tu es toujours mon ami?
Et sinon,
qui va me l’expliquer?
Encore une fois
je suis la dernière à savoir.


I remember the day
you explained to me
that she wasn’t my friend any more.
“Do you see how she treats you?”
you asked.

Are you still my friend?
And if not,
who will explain it to me?
Once again
I am the last to know.

*************

A French/English haiku by Christie Wyman:

deux oiseaux se perchent en paix
une éternité de sources
dans un monde flottant


two birds perch in peace
an eternity of springs
in a floating world

*************

Tanita Davis shared this poem by Maxine Rose Munro, who writes poetry in both English and Shetlandic Scots:

Laernin

Hirplin piano notts clim ta me,
win up da bannisters
ta whaar a’m dippit wi a book o poetry.
I listen ta pellet twiggins o rhythm
an soonds. Ivvery rin trowe
gits mair richt, mootie fingers finnin
touch an speed jöst whaar hit’s waantit.
Peerie-wyes a sang is wirkit
oot fae hooro, pattren fae stramash.
Da mester, plaised, picks anidder melody
fir her ta try. I apply mesel eence mair
ta me poetry, bit I winder
if a’ll geng me wye as aesy as shö.


Learning

Limping piano notes climb to me,
wind up the bannisters
to where I sit with a book of poetry.
I listen to ragged understandings of rhythm
and sounds. Every run through
gets more right, tiny fingers finding
touch and speed just where it’s wanted.
Softly a song is formed
out of noise, pattern from chaos.
The tutor, pleased, picks another melody
for her to try. I apply myself once more
to my poetry, but I wonder
if I’ll go my way as easily as she.

*************

A French/English haiku by Michelle Kogan:

échapper à la dispersion
donnez-vous des moments de
imagination


escape from scatter
give yourself moments of
imagination

© 2021 Michelle Kogan

*************

Jone Rush MacCulloch:

aig èrigh na gealaich
teintean a' lasadh aig an tràigh
bidh sinn a' seinn òrain


at moonrise
fires ignite on the beach
we sing songs

*************

Soup for Two

by Janet Clare Fagal

You brought the pot,
I added love,
chicken, stock.
We set the clock,
next carrots, corn,
onions. Warmed.
Simmered, spiced,
tomatoes sliced.
Dinner with you.
Twice as nice!

Minestra per due
Translated by Mr. LaTulippe

La pentola la porti tu,
Io aggiungo l’amore,
il pollo, del brood.
Poi impostiamo l'ora,
ecco a seguire carote, granturco,
cipolle. Fuoco acceso.
Cotto a fuoco lento e speziato.
Qualche pomodoro a fettine.
Cenetta con te.
Il piacere raddoppia.


*************

Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Matt!

14 comments:

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

These are all just so beautiful...where to begin? There's something about sharing a poem in another language that makes it feel so universal. I can't imagine being able to do this, so many congratualtions to all who crafted these!

Jone said...

I love reading al the different languages. I am enjoying writing in Scottish Gaelic.It was fun to read Tanisha’s in Shetlandic Gaelic.
I hope lots of people sign up for summer poetry swap. One of my favorite things about summer.

Michelle Kogan said...

What a wonderful collection, with so many moving poems—I'm so glad you put out this challenge Tabatha! I am planning on doing 2 of the summer Poetry Swaps, I haven't emailed you yet, but I'm on my way to now, thanks Tabatha!

tanita✿davis said...

Ooh, this is nice - what a great way to end - putting it all together.
I find myself looking for more ways to swap short bits of poem and haiku in and out of languages now, thank you for this month!

April Halprin Wayland said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
April Halprin Wayland said...

Tabitha... You've opened a whole new stunningly beautiful world to my eyes and ears. Gracias / danka/namaste

Buffy Silverman said...

I am in awe of these bilingual creations! And love trying to read them in their non-English languages.

Linda B said...

Each one is lovely to read, at least the ones I can read. I am in awe of those taking on a 2nd language & alphabet, too. Beautifully crafted, everyone!

Linda Mitchell said...

Oh, Tabatha! What a feast of poetry and language! Your project was impressive from the beginning but this grand finale is aMAZing. So many of our friends with different poems but with a shared love of telling. This post is a keeper...an award winner...a work of love.

Ruth said...

Merci, mon amie/mesi, zanmi mwen/thanks, my friend!

Elisabeth said...

So many beautiful poems! I like seeing the original languages, identifying a word that repeats and finding the equivalent in the translation. It makes me focus on patterns and word usage and reminds me of what an art translation is. Thank you for posting these!

Bridget Magee said...

Vielen dank, T! My swoon for this project is the same in every language. :)

Catherine Flynn said...

What a bounty of beautiful poetry! Thank you for sharing these, Tabatha. I love them all!

Carol Varsalona said...

What a wonderful array of two language poems, Tabatha. I am going to send this out to teachers on Twitter for classroom use. Thanks.