Poem
Michel Deguy
Who What
For a long time you have been nonexistent
A face sometimes famous and sufficient unto itself
How I love you I don’t know For a long time
I have loved you with indifference I love you to hatred
By omission by murmur out of cowardice
Obstinately Against all probability
I love you losing you to lose
I who refuse to be ours dragged
From stern (a balcony jig-sawed on salt)
Ex-who dragged backwards between two waters
Now what
Mouth punished
Mouth punished heart pacing the orbit
A question to all vainly opening up third party
© Translation: 2004, Anne Talvaz
Qui Quoi
Qui Quoi
Il y a longtemps que tu n’existes pasVisage quelquefois célèbre et suffisant
Comment je t’aime Je ne sais Depuis longtemps
Je t’aime avec indifférence Je t’aime à haine
Par omission par murmure par lâcheté
Avec obstination Contre toute vraisemblance
Je t’aime en te perdant pour perdre
Ce moi qui refuse d’être des nôtres entraîné
De poupe (ce balcon chantourné sur le sel)
Ex-qui de dos traîné entre deux eaux
Maintenant quoi
Bouche punie
Bouche punie cœur arpentant l’orbite
Une question à tout frayant en vain le tiers
© 1973, Michel Deguy
From: Tombeau de Du Bellay
Publisher: Gallimard, Paris 1973
From: Tombeau de Du Bellay
Publisher: Gallimard, Paris 1973
Poems
Poems of Michel Deguy
Close
Who What
For a long time you have been nonexistent
A face sometimes famous and sufficient unto itself
How I love you I don’t know For a long time
I have loved you with indifference I love you to hatred
By omission by murmur out of cowardice
Obstinately Against all probability
I love you losing you to lose
I who refuse to be ours dragged
From stern (a balcony jig-sawed on salt)
Ex-who dragged backwards between two waters
Now what
Mouth punished
Mouth punished heart pacing the orbit
A question to all vainly opening up third party
© 2004, Anne Talvaz
From: Tombeau de Du Bellay
From: Tombeau de Du Bellay
Who What
For a long time you have been nonexistent
A face sometimes famous and sufficient unto itself
How I love you I don’t know For a long time
I have loved you with indifference I love you to hatred
By omission by murmur out of cowardice
Obstinately Against all probability
I love you losing you to lose
I who refuse to be ours dragged
From stern (a balcony jig-sawed on salt)
Ex-who dragged backwards between two waters
Now what
Mouth punished
Mouth punished heart pacing the orbit
A question to all vainly opening up third party
© 2004, Anne Talvaz
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère