Poem
Habib Tengour
STATE I
BLACK, such a soul in exile slowly makes its way towardsdeath. Here’s winter. The body of the beggars twists at
a subway opening. It’s not this cold that I fear or the stomach’s hunger
although a beggar at your threshold, my limbs blue.
It was already my story to live to love you to lose myself
in the dark of my belt.
I put on my mask at the moment of welcome.
The lovers have suffered a passion, have separated.
Do you keep in your memory my beloved this agony unfolded in the rose
spray of morning
the window in the sea does it remain grateful?
GLEAMING the soul at the height of desire
it whirls about in a pure sky
protects itself from envious glances free
It’s a summer wearing a blessed harvest offering
How could our hearts have gotten lost in the house?
There was a snake to watch over the threshold to turn away
all strangers. There was such an impatience in our
bodies in love… and the summer that would end in sorrow.
But right now the lovers are singing are dancing
never ceasing to be dazzled in the light.
WHITE the soul who denied itself in its trembled soul
it slides undrunken over the body stretched out half-way
(he says: I was the one who was dead waited for you
in my heart had been your imprint for a long time
she says: my life was empty you didn’t fill it)
a trace can be seen so sad that you try
to wipe out in vain you look at your face in the
mirror of the bathroom What are you looking at the beast
laid low… moaning the beast with the great wounded eyes
She says: my heart hurt so much you couldn’t do anything,
poor heart that doesn’t see its soul bleeding white
DISTURBED but queen my soul directs a cohort of angels
wounded in the heel. It exhorts its limping army to martyrdom
as if it were a matter of going to gather in the traversed
terrains the first spring flowers. It is disturbed at the sight of the blood
sprinkled over the ill-cultivated fields. Soon the
summer will come to burn all up in the plain. The soul has its
refuges high in the mountain (formerly the tribe was smoked in there)
I’ve survived the massacres but my heart has forgotten the
familiar beating of eyelids, and the torture.
After such a long absence,
The heart no longer tells its exploits.
The night light blinked before going out over
our drifting heads.
The night fell blue in the garden.
BLIND soul has lost its loving heart;
it stumbles in sorrow. Its heart is pained.
It thrashes about like a cock its throat cut on the sidewalk.
It’s too pained to say it to everyone.
It is loving on its knees and naked!
In the twilight there are distinct voices of blood.
They are numerous — left behind — to bend the ear or take out a
knife to look for a dog in the clearing of fire.
With the summer all our friends have left.
Such memories…
At the instant of farewell your life turns transparent and so
it can look
at itself without grief.
© Translation: 2004, Mary Ann Caws
From: French Poetry. The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century
Publisher: Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 2004
From: French Poetry. The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century
Publisher: Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 2004
TOESTAND I
ZWART, zoals een ziel in ballingschap zich langzaam begeeft naarde dood. Hier is de winter. Het lichaam van de bedelaars kronkelt boven
een metro-ingang. Het is niet deze kou die ik vrees of de
honger van de maag hoewel een bedelaar op jouw drempel, ledematen
blauw. Het was al mijn verhaal te leven om jou lief te hebben me te verliezen
in het donker van mijn riem.
Op het moment van ontvangst heb ik een masker opgezet.
De geliefden hebben een hartstocht geleden, zijn uit elkaar gegaan.
Herinner je je mijn liefste die beproeving die zich ontvouwde in het
roze schuim van de morgen
het raam in de zee blijft het dankbaar?
SCHITTEREND de ziel op het toppunt van verlangen
ze wervelt in een zuivere hemel
beschermt zichzelf tegen afgunstige blikken vrij
Het is een zomer die een gezegende oogst draagt offerande
Hoe zijn onze harten in het huis verdwaald?
Er was een slang om de drempel te bewaken alle vreemdelingen
af te schepen. Er was zo’n ongeduld in onze
verliefde lichamen… en de zomer die in verdriet zou eindigen.
Maar op dit moment zingen de geliefden ze dansen
blijven elkaar verblinden in het licht.
WIT de ziel die zichzelf verloochende in haar sidderende ziel
ze glijdt zonder roes over het halverwege uitgestrekte lichaam
(hij zegt: ik was degene die dood was op je wachtte
in mijn hart stond je afdruk al geruime tijd
zij zegt: mijn leven was leeg je hebt het niet gevuld)
een spoor wordt zichtbaar zo triest je probeert het
uit te wissen Vergeefs kijk je naar je gezicht
in de badkamerspiegel Waar kijk je naar het gevloerde
beest... kermend het beest met de grote gewonde ogen
Ze zegt: mijn hart heeft zo’n pijn gedaan jij kon niets doen,
arm hart dat zijn ziel niet ziet leegbloeden
ONGERUST maar koningin stuurt mijn ziel een engelenschaar
gewond aan de hiel. Ze spoort haar kreupele leger aan tot martelaarschap
alsof ze op de doorkruiste terreinen
de eerste lentebloemen gingen plukken. Ze raakt van streek bij
de aanblik van het bloed her en der op de slecht bebouwde velden. De zomer
zal spoedig komen en alles op de vlakte in brand zetten. De ziel heeft haar
schuilplaatsen hoog in de bergen (vroeger is de stam daar uitgerookt)
Ik heb de bloedbaden overleefd maar mijn hart is
het vertrouwde slaan van de oogleden vergeten, en de foltering.
Na zo’n lange afwezigheid,
vertelt het hart zijn heldendaden niet meer.
Het nachtlampje knipperde voor het uitging boven onze
drijvende hoofden.
De nacht viel blauw in de tuin.
BLINDE ziel heeft haar liefhebbende hart verloren;
ze strompelt in verdriet. Haar hart doet pijn.
Ze gaat als een gekeelde haan tekeer op de stoep.
Ze heeft te veel pijn om het tegen iedereen te zeggen.
Ze is verliefd geknield en naakt!
In de avondschemering zijn er duidelijke stemmen van het bloed.
Er zijn er velen - achtergelaten - die hun oor spitsen of hun
mes grijpen om een hond te zoeken op de open plek van het vuur.
Met de zomer zijn al onze vrienden vertrokken.
Al die herinneringen…
Op het moment van afscheid wordt je leven doorschijnend en zo
kan het zichzelf
moeiteloos in de ogen kijken.
© Vertaling: 2014, Kiki Coumans
ÉTAT I
NOIRE, telle âme en exil s’achemine lentement versla mort. Voici l’hiver. Le corps des mendiants se tord sur
une bouche de métro. Ce n’est pas ce froid que je crains ni la
faim du ventre bien que mendiant à ton seuil, les membres
bleus. C’était mon histoire déjà vivre pour t’aimer me perdre
dans la nuit de ma ceinture.
Je me suis masqué au moment de l’accueil.
Les amants ont souffert une passion, se sont séparés.
Gardes-tu en mémoire mon aimée cette agonie déployée dans l’
écume rose du matin
la fenêtre dans la mer demeure-t-elle reconnaissante ?
ÉCLATANTE l’âme au comble du désir
elle tourbillonne dans un ciel pur
se protège des regards envieux libre
C’est un été qui porte une moisson bénie offrande
Comment nos cœurs se sont-ils égarés dans la maison?
Il y avait un serpent pour garder le seuil éconduire
tous étrangers. Il y avait une telle impatience dans nos
corps épris… et l’été qui allait finir dans la peine.
Mais dans l’instant les amoureux chantent dansent
ne cessent de s’éblouir dans la lumière.
BLANCHE l’âme qui s’est reniée dans son âme tremblée
elle glisse sans ivresse sur le corps étendu à mi-chemin
(il dit : j’étais celui qui était mort t’attendait
dans mon cœur il y avait ton empreinte depuis longtemps
elle dit : ma vie était vide tu ne l’as pas remplie)
se discerne une trace qui est triste que tu cherches
à effacer C’est en vain que tu regardes ton visage dans
le miroir de la salle de bains Que regardes-tu la bête
terrassée… gémissante la bête aux grands yeux blesses
Elle dit : mon cœur a eu si mal tu n’as rien su faire,
pauvre cœur qui ne voit pas son âme saigner à blanc
INQUIETE mais reine mon âme dirige une cohorte d’anges
blesses au talon. Elle exhorte son armée boiteuse au martyre
comme s’il s’agissait d’aller cueillir dans les terrains de
parcours les premières fleurs du printemps. Elle se trouble à
la vue du sang qui parsème les champs mal cultives. L’été va
bientôt venir tout incendier dans la plaine. L’âme a ses
refuges haut dans la montagne (jadis la tribu y fut enfumée)
J’ai survécu aux massacres mais mon cœur a oublie le
battement familier des paupières, et le supplice.
Après si longue absence,
le cœur ne raconte plus ses exploits.
La veilleuse a cligné avant de s’éteindre au-dessus de
nos têtes flottantes.
La nuit est tombée bleu dans le jardin.
AVEUGLE âme a perdu son cœur aimant ;
elle trébuche dans la peine. Elle a mal à son cœur.
Elle s’agite comme un coq égorgé sur le trottoir.
Elle a trop mal pour le dire à tout le monde.
Elle est amoureuse à genoux et nue!
Dans le crépuscule il y a des voix distinctes du sang.
Ils sont nombreux — abandonnes — à tendre l’oreille ou le
couteau à chercher un chien dans la clairière du feu.
Avec l’été tous nos amis sont partis.
Que de souvenirs…
Au moment de l’adieu ta vie devient transparente aussi
peut-elle se
regarder sans peine.
© 1987, Habib Tengour
Poems
Poems of Habib Tengour
Close
STATE I
BLACK, such a soul in exile slowly makes its way towardsdeath. Here’s winter. The body of the beggars twists at
a subway opening. It’s not this cold that I fear or the stomach’s hunger
although a beggar at your threshold, my limbs blue.
It was already my story to live to love you to lose myself
in the dark of my belt.
I put on my mask at the moment of welcome.
The lovers have suffered a passion, have separated.
Do you keep in your memory my beloved this agony unfolded in the rose
spray of morning
the window in the sea does it remain grateful?
GLEAMING the soul at the height of desire
it whirls about in a pure sky
protects itself from envious glances free
It’s a summer wearing a blessed harvest offering
How could our hearts have gotten lost in the house?
There was a snake to watch over the threshold to turn away
all strangers. There was such an impatience in our
bodies in love… and the summer that would end in sorrow.
But right now the lovers are singing are dancing
never ceasing to be dazzled in the light.
WHITE the soul who denied itself in its trembled soul
it slides undrunken over the body stretched out half-way
(he says: I was the one who was dead waited for you
in my heart had been your imprint for a long time
she says: my life was empty you didn’t fill it)
a trace can be seen so sad that you try
to wipe out in vain you look at your face in the
mirror of the bathroom What are you looking at the beast
laid low… moaning the beast with the great wounded eyes
She says: my heart hurt so much you couldn’t do anything,
poor heart that doesn’t see its soul bleeding white
DISTURBED but queen my soul directs a cohort of angels
wounded in the heel. It exhorts its limping army to martyrdom
as if it were a matter of going to gather in the traversed
terrains the first spring flowers. It is disturbed at the sight of the blood
sprinkled over the ill-cultivated fields. Soon the
summer will come to burn all up in the plain. The soul has its
refuges high in the mountain (formerly the tribe was smoked in there)
I’ve survived the massacres but my heart has forgotten the
familiar beating of eyelids, and the torture.
After such a long absence,
The heart no longer tells its exploits.
The night light blinked before going out over
our drifting heads.
The night fell blue in the garden.
BLIND soul has lost its loving heart;
it stumbles in sorrow. Its heart is pained.
It thrashes about like a cock its throat cut on the sidewalk.
It’s too pained to say it to everyone.
It is loving on its knees and naked!
In the twilight there are distinct voices of blood.
They are numerous — left behind — to bend the ear or take out a
knife to look for a dog in the clearing of fire.
With the summer all our friends have left.
Such memories…
At the instant of farewell your life turns transparent and so
it can look
at itself without grief.
© 2004, Mary Ann Caws
From: French Poetry. The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century
Publisher: 2004, Yale University Press, New Haven & London
From: French Poetry. The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century
Publisher: 2004, Yale University Press, New Haven & London
STATE I
BLACK, such a soul in exile slowly makes its way towardsdeath. Here’s winter. The body of the beggars twists at
a subway opening. It’s not this cold that I fear or the stomach’s hunger
although a beggar at your threshold, my limbs blue.
It was already my story to live to love you to lose myself
in the dark of my belt.
I put on my mask at the moment of welcome.
The lovers have suffered a passion, have separated.
Do you keep in your memory my beloved this agony unfolded in the rose
spray of morning
the window in the sea does it remain grateful?
GLEAMING the soul at the height of desire
it whirls about in a pure sky
protects itself from envious glances free
It’s a summer wearing a blessed harvest offering
How could our hearts have gotten lost in the house?
There was a snake to watch over the threshold to turn away
all strangers. There was such an impatience in our
bodies in love… and the summer that would end in sorrow.
But right now the lovers are singing are dancing
never ceasing to be dazzled in the light.
WHITE the soul who denied itself in its trembled soul
it slides undrunken over the body stretched out half-way
(he says: I was the one who was dead waited for you
in my heart had been your imprint for a long time
she says: my life was empty you didn’t fill it)
a trace can be seen so sad that you try
to wipe out in vain you look at your face in the
mirror of the bathroom What are you looking at the beast
laid low… moaning the beast with the great wounded eyes
She says: my heart hurt so much you couldn’t do anything,
poor heart that doesn’t see its soul bleeding white
DISTURBED but queen my soul directs a cohort of angels
wounded in the heel. It exhorts its limping army to martyrdom
as if it were a matter of going to gather in the traversed
terrains the first spring flowers. It is disturbed at the sight of the blood
sprinkled over the ill-cultivated fields. Soon the
summer will come to burn all up in the plain. The soul has its
refuges high in the mountain (formerly the tribe was smoked in there)
I’ve survived the massacres but my heart has forgotten the
familiar beating of eyelids, and the torture.
After such a long absence,
The heart no longer tells its exploits.
The night light blinked before going out over
our drifting heads.
The night fell blue in the garden.
BLIND soul has lost its loving heart;
it stumbles in sorrow. Its heart is pained.
It thrashes about like a cock its throat cut on the sidewalk.
It’s too pained to say it to everyone.
It is loving on its knees and naked!
In the twilight there are distinct voices of blood.
They are numerous — left behind — to bend the ear or take out a
knife to look for a dog in the clearing of fire.
With the summer all our friends have left.
Such memories…
At the instant of farewell your life turns transparent and so
it can look
at itself without grief.
© 2004, Mary Ann Caws
From: French Poetry. The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century
Publisher: 2004, Yale University Press, New Haven & London
From: French Poetry. The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century
Publisher: 2004, Yale University Press, New Haven & London
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