Thursday, October 1, 2009

flight


For a God who laughs like a child,
So much raucous sparrow chatter,
So many dances in branches,

A soul becomes weightless,
The grasslands have such a softness,
Such chasteness revives in the eyes,

Hands like leaves
Are spellbound in the air...

Who is frightened now, who judges?


Weightless


Giuseppe Ungaretti, 1934
from Selected Poems, Bilingual Edition
translated by Andrew Frisardi
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It was Merisi who first suggested Italian poet, Giuseppe Ungaretti,
so I borrowed his book of selected poems from my library last year.
The brilliant translation from the Italian to English in this bilingual
edition has marvelously preserved much of the delicacy and mystery
of Ungaretti's poetry. Which reminds me, I've got to find myself a
copy for my own little library.
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For more Theme Thursday participants, click [HERE].
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photo from Google images

64 comments:

  1. an incredibly beautiful poem. one i could read many times over. love that photo too.

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  2. What a really lovely poem Willow!
    " A soul becomes weightless" I love that line! I also love the new header! * MUWAH *

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  3. dances in branches....
    now I HAVE TO BUY UNGARETTI, too. thanks..i'm spellbound in the air.

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  4. Perfect selection of poem, as always. Happy Theme Thursday!

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  5. Wonderful poem; especially love the "a soul becomes weightless" part.

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  6. It translates VERY nicely!
    I love this photo too...it is awesome to see the wings in flight!

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  7. Excellent Theme Thursday poem. But yours always are.

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  8. There is a huge leap between poems about 'flying' and poems about 'falling'.

    This amuses me.

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  9. Sounds like someone whose work I'd like to get to know better.

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  10. I never know how I'll be surprised here. This is beautiful.

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  11. i love sparrow chatter...almost makes up for the nuisance they can be.

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  12. "Hands like leaves are spellbound in the air"...niiiice! Not familiar with this but I can make it a point to be :) Great take, Willow!

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  13. beautiful post, lady! perfectly beautiful!!! and love the header, too! have a great remainder of the evening!

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  14. "so much raucous sparrow chatter..." I could say that over and over. Lovely! The photo's beautiful, Willow. Well done.

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  15. A beautiful poem on this lovely autumn day. Is that a photograph, or a painting? We debated here and couldn't decide!

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  16. On my way to work today there was a huge flock of small birds in flight. The whole mass of them undulated - looking like waves crashing in the sky. Pretty spectacular.

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  17. Sometimes I just feel stupid! LOL! I have no idea what the poem is about! There, I admit it! haha! It was well written, however!

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  18. Beautiful! I love the question...good one to ponder!

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  19. Joanne, it's a photo. Isn't it spectacular?!

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  20. Otin, treat it as a piece of fine art and just bask in it's beauty! :^)

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  21. Once again, the perfect marriage of poem to picture. Thank you for the introduction to Ungaretti's work.

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  22. Thank you for the intro to a poet I didn't know. I especially liked "For a God who laughs like a child".

    The picture is wonderful.

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  23. Wonderful photo! And a lovely spareness to the poem.

    And for otin -- who isn't alone in not understanding -- these words from Archibald MacLeish: "A poem should not mean, but be."

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  24. I had never heard of this poet, and it is a lovely poem--thanks for educating and uplifting!

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  25. lovely, lovely....

    and the image - reminds me of a most wondrous book I read called providence of a sparrow....

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  26. Ungaretti is great. If you can read the Italian, I can find you an edition in Rome...

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  27. oh to have such wondrous thoughts floating around in ones mind, and actually put them on paper for generations to marvel, ponder, and simply enjoy! Simple delightful!

    Joanny

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  28. Stunning poem and image Willow. And I love Ms Lane's comment that a poem should not mean but be. Really incredible. I am curious as to what the rest of his work is like. xx

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  29. Spacedlaw, you are so kind to offer, but I'm afraid I would only get bits and pieces. Alas, I must find a translation. I'm sure Amazon can help me.

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  30. hi willow - sweet writing!!! i'll be looking for more ungaretti this evening. thanks. steven

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  31. spellbound in the air... what an image this brings... -J

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  32. Loved the poem and especially the illustration.

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  33. excellent choice willow...a beautiful poem that paints a wonderful picture!

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  34. Great choices in terms of art and words that inspire one to soar while their feet are planted firmly on the ground.

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  35. Hello Willow,

    I've just been enjoying reading up on your recent posts. Your uncle's fish were such an appropriate recognition from the church. Your words reminded me of those magnetic fishing games I had as a child!
    Who is in the first photo of your farming film story? I can see why you would love such a film so much and you have the family photographs to prove it.
    It is clear that you exemplify the 'gifted conversationalist, flirtatious and intelligent' aspects of the Libran character!
    Oh, and I enjoyed the Theme Thursday poem too - back to your birds.

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  36. I'm always in the market for a new poet. Lovely, mystical poem - and a superb image the perfectly suits the poet's lines.

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  37. birds in flight give me vertigo and make me believe in God.

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  38. I love the photo! The poem is beautiful as well. :)

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  39. "so many dances in branches"
    I love that.
    Willow, this post is beautiful. You inspire me so.

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  40. absolutely transcending...p.s. i love the pictures you choose...you have great taste, lady!

    much love!

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  41. The photo and the words take me into the air!! A good poem..a good moment!

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  42. Great poetry. Thanks for sharing!

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  43. Beautiful poetry - I am always afraid that it loses something in translation - surely there must be some poetic words which cannot be translated don't you think?

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  44. Weaver, yes, I agree, poetry is always best in its original language, but in this case, Ungaretti's work is translated brilliantly.

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  45. not only an EXCELLENT selection of poetry any time anywhere, but a marvelous description from you!

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  46. What a great match-up of words and image! Good work, Willow. BTW, who was the translator?

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  47. Thanks, Roy, I've listed the translator Andrew Frisardi, under the poem. I think he did an excellent job.

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  48. Hi again Willow, I enjoyed reading the poem and your post below about Libra as it is my birth sign also. It is an air sign and we are supposed to like to communicate or blog perhaps?

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  49. I love the fragility of those little wings in the photo, beautiful companion to the poem and your right. Nothing is lost in translation.

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  50. Willow, Thanks for bringing this poet to me. Truly brilliant. Your photo is spell binding as well. Also, I love your hand logo. Your artistry shows through in everything you do.

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  51. Beautiful. I love the birds. I wish I could capture them like that. I am never ready with my camera when they are ready to go.

    The Garst Museum is pretty neat for Greenville, Ohio. Lowell Thomas is there as is Annie Oakley and there are others as well.

    You can Google it on the internet and see more.

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  52. That poem is such a perfect example of how a poem can be transparent and inscrutible at the same time. And the photograph is the ideal pairing!

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  53. Positively magical! Lovely interpretation of the theme, "flight."

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  54. Oh..Willow, thanks to you and our dear MMM, I finally got round to watching 84 Charing Cross Road last night and I can't believe this film had somehow passed me by...What an absolutely spectacular film. I must add it to my collection.

    Your entry today reminds me very much of Anne Bancroft's character, Helene...Lovely post, indeed!

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  55. Hi Willow ball room dancer - extaordinaire...

    That is a very moving poem...I am going to look further thank you Willow...

    Happy days

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  56. Thank you for remembering Signor Ungaretti and me!
    It feel's my little heart with joy that you look him as much as I do.
    Cheers,
    Merisi

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  57. Sorry for the nonsense I typed - I should not write comments when I am exhausted after a long day!

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  58. Merisi, I type nonsense when I'm fully alert! :^)

    I'm glad you introduced Sr. Ungaretti and me.

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  59. wonderful combination of photo and poem. Happy TT

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  60. Great choice to go with the theme!Like them both!:)

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  61. I have embraced Ungaretti since the first time you posted his poetry. I have to get myself some Ungaretti for my library, too.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)