Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Last Train

Georgian Version here

Like the chariot of time, this car
cannot be stopped, it will soon leave.
And hope, like Fortune's fickle star
is fading far and fast from me.

I know this voyage’s real name.
Why even bother, now, to grieve?
When have I received from a train
either solace, or sympathy?

The train—like lava—rumbles, dozing.
Conductors call out: All aboard, please!
You must depart, sir, doors are closing.
Conductors call out: All aboard, please!

Ah. Now iron starts to move.
Choked with tears, I’m chasing after,
calling last words to my love:
the last we will speak to each other.

Lord, why curse me with such fortune,
Each time losing hope anew?
For the art of valediction,
Will no one but a poet truly do?
Posted by at

1 comment:

leluka said...

Nice one! Are you Georgian?
Check out my translation of Galaktion's "Without Love."

Without Love - by Galaktion Tabidze

Without love
The sun does not reign in the firmament,
the breeze does not waft, the forest does not thrill
joyfully...
Without love there exists
no beauty,
nor does immortality exist
without love.
But the last love is quite
different,
as a flower of autumn
it's often better than the first,
It does not call up stormy
aimless passions,
neither adolescent whim, nor wild voices
It does not call up ...
And in the cold of the autumn
grown in the field,
It does not look like springtime tender flowers
at all......
Instead of breeze a storm
caresses it
and instead of passion voiceless endearment
has surrounded it.
and withers, withers love
the last,
withers sorrowfully, tenderly, but
joylessly.
And there does not exist in the universe
immortality itself,
even immortality itself does not exist
without love!

Lela

May 19, 2011 at 10:43 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)