Negative Poem by Wislawa Szymborska
Negative
Negative
Against a grayisch sky
a grayer cloud
rimmed black by the sun.
On the left, that is, the right,
a white cherry branch with black blossoms.
Light shadows on your dark face.
You'd just taken a seat at the table
and put your hands, gone pray, upon it.
You look like a ghost
who's trying to summon up the living.
(And since I still number among them,
I should appear to him and tap:
good night, that is, good morning,
farewell, that is, hello.
And not grudge questions to any of his answers
concerning life,
that storm before the clam).
translated from Polish by Stanislaw Baranczak
and Clare Cavanagh
Negatyw
Na niebie burym
chmurka jeszcze bardziej bura
z czarną obwódką słońca.
Na lewo, czyli na prawo,
biała gałąź czereśni z czarnymi kwiatami.
Na twojej ciemnej twarzy jasne cienie.
Zasiadłeś przy stoliku
i położyłeś na nim poszarzałe ręce.
Sprawiasz wrażenie ducha
który próbuje wywoływać żywych.
(ponieważ jeszcze zaliczam się do nich,
powinnam mu się zjawić i wystukać:
dobranoc , czyli dzień dobry,
żegnaj , czyli witaj.
I nie skąpić mu pytań na żadną odpowiedź,
jeśli dotyczą życia,
czyli burzy przed ciszą.)
A wonderful poem by Wislawa Szymborska.....................
This is awesome poetry. Enjoyed thoroughly. Thanks for sharing.
Black by the sun! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
You look like a ghost who's trying to summon up the living. a very good poem. tony
Light shadows on your dark face. You'd just taken a seat at the table and put your hands, gone pray, upon it. Light and darkness, shadows. a goof reflection. t ony
'You look like a ghost who's trying to summon up the living' - Wonderful!
You look like a ghost who's trying to summon up the living. Evocative, and compelling, its the reverse world in which beauty is turned inside out into horror. A good choice for poem of the day.
From one's perspective of life, That always changed.. James McLain
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/23/2024 10:34:02 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Wow! This poet knows how to write down thoughts higher than the moon and deeper than eternity- -on my favorite poets' list, that's for sure.