Every woman has a secret inner land that is more real to her than the outer world. At midnight when alone, she envisions entering this land, vaulting over a five-barred gate among birches trees and taking possession. Within this land, she can run, fly, or ride a horse freely and travel wherever she wishes, making flowers grow and fish eat from her hand. She has founded villages and planted groves in valleys with cool brooks flowing into inland bays. The speaker has never questioned his love about the details of this private kingdom or geography.
Harrisons amusing picture book of poetry and humor, 1800Chuck Thompson
Harrisons amusing picture book of poetry and humor, 1800. From the days long gone. A childrens book from the very beginning of the 19th century. Nice bit of history. Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website. Visit us. http://www.gloucestercounty-va.com
Harrisons amusing picture book of poetry and humor, 1800Chuck Thompson
Harrisons amusing picture book of poetry and humor, 1800. From the days long gone. A childrens book from the very beginning of the 19th century. Nice bit of history. Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website. Visit us. http://www.gloucestercounty-va.com
1. El país secret
Tota dona de natura reial
té un país secret que li és més ver
que aquest pàl·lid món extern:
a mitjanit quan el silenci l'envolta
deixa de banda agulla o llibre
i el visita d'amagat
aclucant els ulls, ella improvisa
una tanca amb cinc barres entre bedolls,
salta per sobre, pren possessió.
Llavors corre, vola o bé cavalca
(un cavall al trot ve a saludar-la)
i viatja allà on vol;
fa créixer l'herba, fa obrir-se els lliris
de botó a flor mentre guaita,
i els peixos mengen de la seva mà.
ha fundat pobles, ha plantat arbredes,
ha buidat valls per rierols que corren
frescs a una badia tancada.
mai he gosat interrogar el meu amor
sobre el governament del seu reialme,
sobre la seva geografia.
ni l'he seguit entre aquells bedolls
encamellant-me sobre la tanca
i espiant entre la boira.
M'ha promès, però, quan morí,
un lloc sota el seu palau privat
a una clariana del bosc,
on creixen gencianes i violes
on de vegades ens trobàrem.
Robert graves. Trad. Lucía Graves
2. The Secret Land
Every woman of true royalty owns
A secret land more real to her
Than this pale outer world:
At midnight when the house falls quiet
She lays aside needle or book
And visiti t unseen
Shutting her eyes, she improvises
A five-barred gate among tall birches,
Vaults over, takes possession.
Then runs, or flies, or mounts a horse
(a horse will canter up to greet her)
and travels where she will.
Can make grass grow, coax lilies up
From bud to blossom as she watches,
Lets fish eat from her palm;
Has founded villages, planted groves
And hollowed valleys for brooks running
Cool to land-locked bay.
I never dared question my love
About the government of her quenndom
Or its geography,
Nor followed her between those birches,
Setting on leg astride the gate,
Spiying into the mist.
Yes she has pledged me, when I die,
A lodge beneath her private palace
In a level clearing of the wood
Where gentians grow and gillyflowers
And sometimes we may meet
Robert Graves