La Tour De La Famine. (Translation) . Poem by Michael Walker
La Tour De La Famine. (Translation) .
Parmi la desolation d'une cite,
Qui etait le berceau, et maintenant la tombe
D'un peuple eteint, - de sorte que la Pitie
Pleure sur les epaves de la vague de l'oubli,
La se tient la Tour de la Famine. Elle est batie
Sur des maisons-prison, dont les habitants delirent
Du pain, et de l'or, et du sang: la Douleur liee a la Culpabilite,
Agite la flamme legere de leurs heures,
Jusqu'a ce que son huile soit epuisee ou renversee.
La se tient la pile, une tour parmi les tours
Et des domes sacres; chaque toit a nervures de marbre,
Les temples aux barrieres impudentes, et les boudoirs
De la richesse solitaire, - les pavillons
Impermeables contre les tempetes de l'air italien sombre, -
Sont par sa presence obscurcis- ils se tiennent distants,
Et ils sont retires- de sorte que le monde soit nu;
Comme si un spectre enveloppe d'une terreur sans forme
Parmi la compagnie de belles dames
Devait entrer sans bruit et rayonner, jusqu'a devenir un miroir
De toute leur beaute, et des cheveux et de la teinte,
La vie de leurs yeux doux, avec toute son erreur,
Devait s'absorber, jusqu'a ce qu'elles devinssent du marbre.
- 'The Tower of Famine'. Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) .
The centre of this visionary poem is the Tower of Famine, somewhere in Italy amid the ruins of a city. The people in the tower cry out for bread, gold, and the blood of their oppressors. The tower of famine stands among other towers of solitary wealth, which are better-built and more luxurious.
The glowing poem ends with the picture of a ghost gliding into the company of beautiful ladies, and turning them to marble.
The poem is open to individual interpretation and is slightly obscure. I read it as a condemnation of greed, 'solitary wealth' and social injustice. There is still a tower of famine in the world today, which makes the poem great and timeless.
Among the desolation of a city, who was the cradle, and now the grave amazes mind entirely. From an extinct people still we expect mark of history. This is also beautifully translated. Bread, and gold, and blood and the grief associated with guilt and this provokes thought. Poverty is perfectly described in this brilliant poem...10
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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8/29/2026 11:46:58 PM # rel_20260827T145718Z_a0f1bd3
Thanks again for noticing the message of this poem. Any brilliance in it belongs to Shelley, but it is refreshing to see that the work of translation is appreciated. M.W.