Au Nouvel An. (Translation) . Poem by Michael Walker
Au Nouvel An. (Translation) .
En quel calme enfin
vous apparaissez dans la vallee
votre premiere lumiere de soleil descendant
pour toucher les bouts d'un peu de
feuilles hautes qui ne bougent pas
comme si elles n'eussent pas remarque
et ne vous connaissaient pas du tout
puis la voix d'une colombe appelle
de loin dans elle-meme
au silence du matin
C'est donc le son de vous
ici et maintenant si ou non
quelqu'un entende ceci c'est ou
nous sommes venus avec notre age
notre savoir tel qu'il soit
et nos espoirs tels qu'ils soient
invisibles avant nous
non pas touches et encore possibles
-W.S. Merwin b.1927.
The non punctuated poem about a New Year has two stanzas. The first could be divided into a sentence ending at 'at all'; then 'the morning'. The second stanza is divisible into a sentence ending at 'now', line 2; then 'possible' at the end. But W.S. Merwin would have none of that and the question 'why not' is worth thinking about.
The poem is addressed to the New Year (figures of speech-epistrophe, personification) which he and Paula are seeing arrive in a valley with trees whose high leaves the light of New Year touches first, then they hear a dove call from far away. So the New Year is not important to the trees and the dove, but he and Paula still have hopes ahead of them, which may be possible.
The poem made me think about all my New Years in the past.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/3/2024 8:12:35 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Appearing in valley with calmness and sunlight motivates mind for higher purpose. Morning does magic and the voice of a dove calls by far in itself in the silence. An interesting poem is well written by poet W.S. Merwin. Beautiful translation adds values to this poem. An amazing sharing is done here...10