Venice masks

Thursday, 2 November 2023

To Prague - Frantisek Halas

Ye faint of faith Bone gnawing time
has been her beauty giver
from wailing fields illuminated ever
those muralled texts of portals and of walls
Ever more thus
Ye faint of faith
Ever more thus

Beyond our rivers’ gates
hard hooves do thunder
beyond our rivers’ gates
by hooves torn asunder
lies the ground
and the dread Revelation’s riders
their flag swirl round

Light are the laurel leaves
heavy the fallen’s snow

I know I know

Fear not the dark Fear not the dark
a fugue the like of which ne’er played by Sebastian Bach
as we shall here make sound
when the time comes when the time comes
The bronze horse of St Wenceslas
did last night restless stir
and the prince clasped his weighty lance
Mark the chorale’s advance
Ye faint of faith
Mark the chorale’s advance

Frantisek Halas (1901 - 1949) Czech Republic
Translated by Václav Z.J. Pinkava

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