A poem by Hilda Doolittle, with translation to Portuguese
A poem by Hilda Doolittle:
Priapus: Keeper-of-Orchards
I SAW the first pear
as it fell--
the honey-seeking, golden-banded,
the yellow swarm
was not more fleet than I,
(spare us from loveliness)
and I fell prostrate
crying:
you have flayed us
with your blossoms,
spare us the beauty
of fruit-trees.
The honey-seeking
paused not,
the air thundered their song,
and I alone was prostrate.
O rough hewn
god of the orchard,
I bring you an offering--
do you, alone unbeautiful,
son of the god,
spare us from loveliness:
The fallen hazel-nuts,
Stripped late of their green sheaths,
The grapes, red-purple,
Their berries
Dripping with wine,
Pomegranates already broken,
And shrunken fig,
And quinces untouched,
I bring thee as offering.
Translation to Portuguese by João Duarte:
PRÍAPO
Guardador-de-Pomares
Vi a primeira pêra
A cair.
O enxame amarelo, listrado de ouro,
Em busca de mel,
Não foi mais veloz do que eu
(Livra-nos da beleza!)
E caí prostrada,
Chorando.
Tu, que nos flagelaste com as flores,
Livra-nos da beleza
Das árvores de fruto!
As que buscavam o mel
Não pararam.
O ar ressoava com o seu canto
E só eu me prostrava.
Ó deus do pomar,
Talhado em tosco,
Venho trazer-te uma oferenda;
Tu, o que não é belo
(Filho do deus),
Livra-nos da beleza!
As avelãs caídas,
Despidas há pouco do invólucro verde,
Os cachos vermelho-púrpura
De bagos
Gotejando vinho,
Romãs já fendidas,
E figos mirrados,
E marmelos intactos,
Eis a minha oferenda.
In: https://arlindo-correia.com/020205.html
Our Literary Contest at:
https://talesforlove.blogs.sapo.pt/international-literary-contest-nature-120638
Enjoy.