Mandorla Poem by Paul Celan
Mandorla
In the Almond – what dwells in the Almond?
Nothing.
Nothing dwells in the Almond.
There it dwells and dwells.
In Nothing – what dwells there? The King.
There dwells the King, the King.
There he dwells and dwells.
Jews’-Hair, you’ll not grow grey.
And your Eye – where does your Eye dwell?
Your Eye dwells on the Almond.
Your Eye, on Nothing it dwells.
It dwells on the King.
So it dwells and dwells.
Human-Hair, you’ll not grow grey.
Empty Almond, regally-blue.
Original version (German) Mandorla In der Mandel – was steht in der Mandel? Das Nichts. Es steht das Nichts in der Mandel. Da steht es und steht. Im Nichts – wer steht da? Der König. Da steht der König, der König. Da steht er und steht. Judenlocke, wirst nicht grau. Und dein Aug – wohin steht dein Auge? Dein Aug steht der Mandel entgegen. Dein Aug, dem Nichts stehts entgegen. Es steht zum König. So steht es und steht. Menschenlocke, wirst nicht grau. Leere Mandel, königsblau.
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5/5/2024 8:58:41 AM # 1.0.0.1119
''Mandorla'', almond, in this poem is a decorative Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine-Orthodox, ogival element, used to emphasize the sacred figure represented in it. In the Eastern tradition it is often pitted in lapis lazuli. It is used to depict, usually, the Creator or the Christ or the Madonna in Majesty - often surrounded by others sacred subjects outside of the almond. Mandorla, through the original German word for ''almond'' (''Mandel'') , also refers to the poet Mandel'stam.