Translations

Heads up to Harry Rutherford, at the amazing poetry blog Heralitean Fire, for putting me on to the blog of George Szirtes George Szirtes poet and translator.

Harry was about the post of the 20th concerning the difference between poet and novelist. ALL the entries are good. Here was a translation from the contemporary Hungarian Szabolcs Várady:

TO AN UNREAL PHENOMENON

You should have stopped existing years ago.
Though one couldn’t say: you are. Not quite.
You only seem, you servile ghost. Now go!
Get on your bike!

Those hungry for you only received a part.
You can’t give - since there isn’t - a whole.
Who tastes you throws you up, is sick at heart,
from hole to hole.

Here you appear, then sneak off somewhere else.
Iron filings, weightless stuff.
Cheese in the trap to tempt a greedy mouse?
No more, enough.

Well go then. There’s the door. Why hang about?
He gawps, a fish stuck in the silt.
Good intentions, words not found, spat out,
the bottle spilt.

Catch both sites!

Andrew