Poem
Luiza Neto Jorge
THE POEM TEACHES THE ART OF FALLING
The poem teaches the art of fallingon various kinds of ground
from losing the sudden earth under our feet
as when a love collapses
and we lose our wits, to confronting
the promontory where the earth drops away
and the teeming absence overwhelms
to touching down after
a slowly sensuous fall,
our face reaching the ground
in a subtle delicate curve
a bow to no one particular
or to us in particular a posthumous
homage.
© Translation: 2005, Richard Zenith
O Poema Ensina a Cair
O Poema Ensina a Cair
O poema ensina a cairsobre os vários solos
desde perder o chão repentino sob os pés
como se perde os sentidos numa
queda de amor, ao encontro
do cabo onde a terra abate e
a fecunda ausência excede
até à queda vinda
da lenta volúpia de cair,
quando a face atinge o solo
numa curva delgada subtil
uma vénia a ninguém de especial
ou especialmente a nós uma homenagem
póstuma.
© 1966, Luiza Neto Jorge
From: Poesia
Publisher: Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon
From: Poesia
Publisher: Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon
Poems
Poems of Luiza Neto Jorge
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THE POEM TEACHES THE ART OF FALLING
The poem teaches the art of fallingon various kinds of ground
from losing the sudden earth under our feet
as when a love collapses
and we lose our wits, to confronting
the promontory where the earth drops away
and the teeming absence overwhelms
to touching down after
a slowly sensuous fall,
our face reaching the ground
in a subtle delicate curve
a bow to no one particular
or to us in particular a posthumous
homage.
© 2005, Richard Zenith
From: Poesia
From: Poesia
THE POEM TEACHES THE ART OF FALLING
The poem teaches the art of fallingon various kinds of ground
from losing the sudden earth under our feet
as when a love collapses
and we lose our wits, to confronting
the promontory where the earth drops away
and the teeming absence overwhelms
to touching down after
a slowly sensuous fall,
our face reaching the ground
in a subtle delicate curve
a bow to no one particular
or to us in particular a posthumous
homage.
© 2005, Richard Zenith
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