Poem
Andrea Raos
MUST WE DESTROY OR CREATE? YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Must we destroy or create? You, what do you think?this very monticule of sand, the accumulation of a few days
and a little wind, our eyes have seen it, is it now
a human creature, does it come from the chance play of my intention
or from some more vast
play of chance? You only have to look at a leaf for it to be transformed
into a leaf: you press your face against the moss
nothing happens. This sand once fixed
we call sand while without mentioning its name the ant-lion
did what it had to do, what it does constantly and what it will cease doing
one day. Thus, as I see
debris of ineternity this ancient rock
swallows me up and hates me. Destroy, create . . . hatred
was not made for man, it is I.
© Translation: 2005, Abe Casper
MUST WE DESTROY OR CREATE? YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Dobbiamo distruggere o creare? tu che pensi?
Questo stesso monticello di sabbia, cumulo di qualche giorno
e un po’ di vento, che abbiamo guardato, è creatura
umana adesso, è caso della mia intenzione
o d’un ancor più grande
caso? Già se appunti lo sguardo su una foglia si tramuta in
foglia; premi contro il muschio il viso
e non accade nulla. Fissata allora questa sabbia
la chiamavamo sabbia mentre senza dirne il nome il fomicaleone
vi ha fatto ciò che doveva fare, che tuttora fa e che smetterà di fare
un giorno. Perciò come io vedo
l’ineternità nei suoi frantumi così l’antica roccia
mi risugge, e mi odia. Distruggere, creare . . . l’odio
non è stato per l’uomo, sono io.
Questo stesso monticello di sabbia, cumulo di qualche giorno
e un po’ di vento, che abbiamo guardato, è creatura
umana adesso, è caso della mia intenzione
o d’un ancor più grande
caso? Già se appunti lo sguardo su una foglia si tramuta in
foglia; premi contro il muschio il viso
e non accade nulla. Fissata allora questa sabbia
la chiamavamo sabbia mentre senza dirne il nome il fomicaleone
vi ha fatto ciò che doveva fare, che tuttora fa e che smetterà di fare
un giorno. Perciò come io vedo
l’ineternità nei suoi frantumi così l’antica roccia
mi risugge, e mi odia. Distruggere, creare . . . l’odio
non è stato per l’uomo, sono io.
© 2003, Andrea Raos
From: Aspettami, dice
Publisher: Pieraldo,
From: Aspettami, dice
Publisher: Pieraldo,
Poems
Poems of Andrea Raos
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MUST WE DESTROY OR CREATE? YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Must we destroy or create? You, what do you think?this very monticule of sand, the accumulation of a few days
and a little wind, our eyes have seen it, is it now
a human creature, does it come from the chance play of my intention
or from some more vast
play of chance? You only have to look at a leaf for it to be transformed
into a leaf: you press your face against the moss
nothing happens. This sand once fixed
we call sand while without mentioning its name the ant-lion
did what it had to do, what it does constantly and what it will cease doing
one day. Thus, as I see
debris of ineternity this ancient rock
swallows me up and hates me. Destroy, create . . . hatred
was not made for man, it is I.
© 2005, Abe Casper
From: Aspettami, dice
From: Aspettami, dice
MUST WE DESTROY OR CREATE? YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Must we destroy or create? You, what do you think?this very monticule of sand, the accumulation of a few days
and a little wind, our eyes have seen it, is it now
a human creature, does it come from the chance play of my intention
or from some more vast
play of chance? You only have to look at a leaf for it to be transformed
into a leaf: you press your face against the moss
nothing happens. This sand once fixed
we call sand while without mentioning its name the ant-lion
did what it had to do, what it does constantly and what it will cease doing
one day. Thus, as I see
debris of ineternity this ancient rock
swallows me up and hates me. Destroy, create . . . hatred
was not made for man, it is I.
© 2005, Abe Casper
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