REMÉNYTELENÜL
Lassan, tünődve
Az ember végül homokos,
szomorú, vizes síkra ér,
szétnéz merengve és okos
fejével biccent, nem remél.
szomorú, vizes síkra ér,
szétnéz merengve és okos
fejével biccent, nem remél.
Én is így próbálok csalás
nélkül szétnézni könnyedén.
Ezüstös fejszesuhanás
játszik a nyárfa levelén.
nélkül szétnézni könnyedén.
Ezüstös fejszesuhanás
játszik a nyárfa levelén.
A semmi ágán ül szivem,
kis teste hangtalan vacog,
köréje gyűlnek szeliden
s nézik, nézik a csillagok.
kis teste hangtalan vacog,
köréje gyűlnek szeliden
s nézik, nézik a csillagok.
Latinovits Zoltán előadásában
Without Hope
Slowly, musingly
I am as one who comes to rest
by that sad, sandy, sodden shore
and looks around, and undistressed
nods his wise head, and hopes no more.
Just so I try to turn my gaze
with no deceptions, carelessly.
A silver axe-swish lightly plays
on the white leaf of the poplar tree.
Upon a branch of nothingness
my heart sits trembling voicelessly,
and watching, watching, numberless,
the mild stars gather round to see.
Translated by Zsuzsanna Ozsváth and Frederick Turner
Without Hope
Slowly, musingly
I am as one who comes to rest
by that sad, sandy, sodden shore
and looks around, and undistressed
nods his wise head, and hopes no more.
Just so I try to turn my gaze
with no deceptions, carelessly.
A silver axe-swish lightly plays
on the white leaf of the poplar tree.
Upon a branch of nothingness
my heart sits trembling voicelessly,
and watching, watching, numberless,
the mild stars gather round to see.
Translated by Zsuzsanna Ozsváth and Frederick Turner
*
Without Hope
Slowly, broodingly
All you arrive at in the end
is a sad, washed-out, sandy plain,
you gaze about, take it in, bend
a wise head, nod; hope is in vain.
Myself, I try to look about
nonchalantly, without pretence.
Axe-arcs shake their silver out
rippling where the aspens dance.
My heart sits on the twig of nothing,
its little body shivering, dumb.
In calm unbroken gathering,
staring, staring, the stars come.
