Poem
Daniel Jonas
My poem had a nervous breakdown
My poem had a nervous breakdown.It cannot bear words any longer.
It tells the words: words
go thither,
to another poem
where thou can live.
This sort of thing can happen to my poem
from time to time.
I can picture it: spread all over
the white linen bed
without prospect or desire
locked into silence
pale
like a chlorotic poem.
I ask: can I do anything for thee?
but it just stares at me;
it sits there looking empty-eyed
dry mouthed.
© Translation: 2009, Ana Hudson
My poem had a nervous breakdown
O meu poema teve um esgotamento nervoso.
Já não suporta mais as palavras.
Diz às palavras: palavras
ide embora,
ide procurar outro poema
onde habitar.
O meu poema tem destas coisas
de vez em quando.
Posso vê-lo: ali distendido
em cama de linho muito branco
sem perspectivas ou desejo
quedando-se num silêncio
pálido
como um poema clorótico.
Pergunto-lhe: posso fazer alguma coisa por ti?
mas apenas me fixa o olhar;
fica a li a fitar-me de olhos vazios
e boca seca.
Já não suporta mais as palavras.
Diz às palavras: palavras
ide embora,
ide procurar outro poema
onde habitar.
O meu poema tem destas coisas
de vez em quando.
Posso vê-lo: ali distendido
em cama de linho muito branco
sem perspectivas ou desejo
quedando-se num silêncio
pálido
como um poema clorótico.
Pergunto-lhe: posso fazer alguma coisa por ti?
mas apenas me fixa o olhar;
fica a li a fitar-me de olhos vazios
e boca seca.
© 2005, Daniel Jonas
From: Os fantasmas inquilinos
Publisher: Cotovia, Lisbon
From: Os fantasmas inquilinos
Publisher: Cotovia, Lisbon
Poems
Poems of Daniel Jonas
Close
My poem had a nervous breakdown
My poem had a nervous breakdown.It cannot bear words any longer.
It tells the words: words
go thither,
to another poem
where thou can live.
This sort of thing can happen to my poem
from time to time.
I can picture it: spread all over
the white linen bed
without prospect or desire
locked into silence
pale
like a chlorotic poem.
I ask: can I do anything for thee?
but it just stares at me;
it sits there looking empty-eyed
dry mouthed.
© 2009, Ana Hudson
From: Os fantasmas inquilinos
From: Os fantasmas inquilinos
My poem had a nervous breakdown
My poem had a nervous breakdown.It cannot bear words any longer.
It tells the words: words
go thither,
to another poem
where thou can live.
This sort of thing can happen to my poem
from time to time.
I can picture it: spread all over
the white linen bed
without prospect or desire
locked into silence
pale
like a chlorotic poem.
I ask: can I do anything for thee?
but it just stares at me;
it sits there looking empty-eyed
dry mouthed.
© 2009, Ana Hudson
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