Ceux Qui Ne Sont Pas Nes. (Translation) . Poem by Michael Walker
Ceux Qui Ne Sont Pas Nes. (Translation) .
Quelquefois je vois presque, autour de nos tetes,
Comme des moucherons autour d'un reverbere en ete,
Les enfants que nous pourrions avoir,
Leur lueur.
Quelquefois je les sens attendre, en sommeillant
dans quelque antichambre-des serviteurs, en ecoutant
A moitie la sonnette.
Quelquefois je les vois s'allonger comme des lettres d'amour
dans le Bureau de Lettres Mortes.
Et quelquefois, comme ce soir, par quelque
Double vue noire je ne sens qu'un d'entre eux
Qui se tient debout au bord d'une falaise pres de la mer
Dans l'obscurite, en etendant ses bras
En desespoir vers moi.
- 'The Unborn'. Sharon Olds (b.1942) .
'The Unborn' is about potential children, who may not have actually lived, because of a mother's miscarriage, a pregnancy termination, or whatever. Sharon sees these unborn children dozing in an antechamber, like servants half-listening for the master's bell, or lying down like love letters that never got sent. I deliberately put 'Dead Letters Office' in the plural, not the original singular.
Then the poet narrows her vision to seeing just one unborn child on a cliff by the sea, reaching out his arms desperately for her to save him.
Sharon Olds' poem, at least indirectly, is an expression of the maternal instinct in women, how they have a natural wish to have children. It is about letting children be born, so that they at least have a chance in life. To actually live has to be better than oblivion.
This is a personal poem, that yet has a message, without being didactic.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Delivering Poems Around The World
Poems are the property of their respective owners. All information has been reproduced here for educational and informational purposes to benefit site visitors, and is provided at no charge...
4/23/2024 3:31:10 AM # 1.0.0.1119
