Poem
Hédi Kaddour
TRUTH
A taste of honeyed apples, and of somethingSlightly acid escorts the heavy tears
Of wine, and its green-reflected amber
Speaks of long-past autumns. The debate
Between nature and time has been
Reopened this feast-day, when a dinner guest
Remarks: If Voltaire writes fables
It’s because truth, in order to be understood
Must first be believed. On the carpet
In front of the fireplace dozes
A cat we must step over carefully
To bring the sliced warm bread, the terrine
Of woodcock and foie gras
With hand-ground pistachios.
© Translation: 2010, Marilyn Hacker
From: Treason
Publisher: Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 2010
From: Treason
Publisher: Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 2010
DE WAARHEID
Een smaak van appels met honing, vanFriszuur vergezelt de zware tranen
Van de wijn, en zijn groen flonkerende amber
Spreekt van oude herfsten. Tussen natuur
En tijd is op de feestdag het debat
Heropend, terwijl een disgenoot
Opmerkt: Dat Voltaire verhalen schreef
Was omdat de waarheid alleen begrepen wordt
Als ze eerst rauw is. Op het tapijt
Voor de schouw slaapt een poes
Waar men zachtjes overheen stapt met
De sneetjes warm brood, de terrine
Van snip vermengd met foie gras
En handgemalen pistachenoten.
© Vertaling: 2012, Martin de Haan
LA VÉRITÉ
Un goût de pommes au miel, de petitAcide accompagne les larmes lourdes
Du vin, et son ambre à reflets verts
Parle d’anciens automnes. Entre nature
Et temps, au jour de fête, le débat
S’est rouvert, tandis qu’un convive
Remarque: Si Voltaire écrit des contes
C’est que la vérité pour être comprise
Doit d’abord être crue. Sur le tapis
Devant la cheminée dort une chatte
Qu’on enjambe doucement pour apporter
Les tranches de pain tiède, la terrine
De bécasse mélangée au foie gras,
Aux pistaches concassées à la main.
© 2010, Hédi Kaddour
From: Treason
Publisher: Gallimard, Paris
From: Treason
Publisher: Gallimard, Paris
Poems
Poems of Hédi Kaddour
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TRUTH
A taste of honeyed apples, and of somethingSlightly acid escorts the heavy tears
Of wine, and its green-reflected amber
Speaks of long-past autumns. The debate
Between nature and time has been
Reopened this feast-day, when a dinner guest
Remarks: If Voltaire writes fables
It’s because truth, in order to be understood
Must first be believed. On the carpet
In front of the fireplace dozes
A cat we must step over carefully
To bring the sliced warm bread, the terrine
Of woodcock and foie gras
With hand-ground pistachios.
© 2010, Marilyn Hacker
From: Treason
Publisher: 2010, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT
From: Treason
Publisher: 2010, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT
TRUTH
A taste of honeyed apples, and of somethingSlightly acid escorts the heavy tears
Of wine, and its green-reflected amber
Speaks of long-past autumns. The debate
Between nature and time has been
Reopened this feast-day, when a dinner guest
Remarks: If Voltaire writes fables
It’s because truth, in order to be understood
Must first be believed. On the carpet
In front of the fireplace dozes
A cat we must step over carefully
To bring the sliced warm bread, the terrine
Of woodcock and foie gras
With hand-ground pistachios.
© 2010, Marilyn Hacker
From: Treason
Publisher: 2010, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT
From: Treason
Publisher: 2010, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT
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