Venice masks

Monday 30 September 2013

Two chambers has the heart - Hermann Neumann

Two chambers has the heart
Wherein do dwell
Sorrow and Joy apart.

Sunday 29 September 2013

The prayer of the Horse - Carmen Bernos de Gasztold

See, Lord,
my coat hangs in tatters,
like homespun, old, threadbare.

All that I had of zest,
all my strength,
I have given in hard work
and kept nothing back for myself.

Now
my poor head swings
to offer up all the loneliness of my heart.

Dear God,
stiff on my thickened legs
I stand here before You:
Your unprofitable servant.
Oh! of Your goodness,
give me a gentle death.

Carmen Bernos de Gasztold (1919 - 1995) France
Translated by Rumer Godden

Saturday 28 September 2013

The gift - Kevin Hart

One day the gift arrives — outside your door,
Left on a windowsill, inside the mailbox,
Or in the hallway, far too large to lift.

Friday 27 September 2013

Spring - Antonio Vivaldi

Allegro
The festive Spring has arrived,
The birds celebrate her return with happy songs,

Thursday 26 September 2013

Autumn scenes - Balys Sruoga

I
We went walking in the morning just before the sun was rising.
Sad the orchard, sad our thoughts were, sad too was the autumn morning.

Tuesday 24 September 2013

Lausavísur - Einarr Skúlason

Lord of the Mœrir,
I have good tidings to tell you,
so that there is no lack of it;
your glory is great;
you are most wise.
Reddener of shields,
slender-fingered Ívarr from Fløan
has not come here;
continue to stay quietly with her.

Monday 23 September 2013

The Vigour of his White Body - Dulduityn Danzanravjaa

The vigour of his white body,
Vital and toned,
Brings forth thoughts
Of meeting with his lovliness.
Spring’s gentle winds

Sunday 22 September 2013

The Mediator - Hans Sachs

O Christ, true Son of God most high,
Thy name we praise for ever;
Whoe'er to Thee for help doth cry
Shall find Thee fail him never;
'Tis Thou wilt plead,
Thou intercede
With God, for us who need Thy prayers so sore:
Thy bitter strife
Hath wrought us life,
And Thine be thanks and praise for evermore!

Saturday 21 September 2013

Speak while There Is Time - Confucius

Plop Fall the plums; but there are still seven
Let those gentlemen that would court me
Come while it is lucky!

Friday 20 September 2013

Heimweh - Lala Fisher

The silver sea creeps in to kiss
    The harbour's wooded edges,
And bears to ocean's wilderness
    The scent of may-sweet hedges.
The white-winged boats glide gently in,
    With scarce a breeze to guide them;
While shyly-peeping stars begin
    And gem the waves beside them.

Thursday 19 September 2013

A fairy-tale story - Jarmila Gajdová

I'm one of the guests
invited to take part
in the royal dinner.

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Permanence - Duncan Campbell Scott

Set within a desert lone,
    Circled by an arid sea,
Stands a figure carved in stone,
    Where a fountain used to be.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Sonnet - Luís Vas de Camões

Leave me, all sweet refrains my lip hath made;
Leave me, all instruments attuned for song;

Sunday 15 September 2013

LORD, I ask a garden - Alfonso Guillén Zelaya

LORD, I ask a garden in a quiet spot
Where there may be a brook with a good flow,
An humble little house covered with bell-flowers
And a woman and a son who shall resemble Thee.

Saturday 14 September 2013

The Danube - Ján Kollár

Duna! thou queen of many rivers,—thou
Of all Slavonia, venerable mother!

Friday 13 September 2013

my love - e.e. cummings

my love
thy hair is one kingdom
the king whereof is darkness

Thursday 12 September 2013

Intoxicated by the Wine of Love - Farīd ud-Dīn ʿAṭṭār

Intoxicated by the Wine of Love.
From each a mystic silence Love demands.
What do all seek so earnestly? 'Tis Love.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Love endures hardships at the hands of the Beloved - Jalal al-Din Rumi

Through love bitter things seem sweet,
Through love bits of copper are made gold.

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Autumn Song - Dante Alighieri

Know’st thou not at the fall of the leaf
How the heart feels a languid grief
Laid on it for a covering,
And how sleep seems a goodly thing
In Autumn at the fall of the leaf?

Sunday 8 September 2013

How Humble is God - Kabir

God is the tree in the forest that
allows itself to die and will not defend itself in front of those
with the axe, not wanting to cause them
shame.

Saturday 7 September 2013

Rumour from the past - Chonggi Mah

Wind, you really give up so easily.
One evening a little while back you roared
knocking, knocking at the windows and the next day
the whole world was piled with fallen leaves
as the wind waved an elderly hand
from that lofty sky above.
Your voice is a chill in the spine,
the monotonous dream of a winter tree sleeping.

Friday 6 September 2013

Johannesburg - Feyisayo Anjorin

Writing on the walls of history
in the city of gold
keeps you on your toes
fixes your eyes on your goals

Thursday 5 September 2013

Carcassonne - Gustave Nadaud

'I'm growing old, I've sixty years;
I've labored all my life in vain:
In all that time of hopes and fears
I've failed my dearest wish to gain.
I see full well that here below
Bliss unalloyed there is for none.
My prayer will ne'er fulfilment know
I never have seen Carcassonne!

Wednesday 4 September 2013

The Sad Mother - Gabriela Mistral

Sleep, sleep, my beloved,
without worry, without fear,
although my soul does not sleep,
although I do not rest.

Monday 2 September 2013

Sunday 1 September 2013

Deeply repentant of my sinful ways - Gaspara Stampa

Deeply repentant of my sinful ways
And of my trivial, manifold desires,