Nicht, causey, leerie, pothicar,
Aw where a dreich and donnert licht
Leeve for twinty-five year mair –
Naethin will chynge. Nane taks flicht.
Ay, ye can dee – re-stert it aw,
Aw thing turns roon like a peerie:
Nicht, and the canual’s cauld swaw,
Causey, pothicar and leerie.
Scots glossary
nicht – night
causey – street
leerie – lamp
dreich – dreary
donnert - dull
pothicar – apothecary
swaw – wave
This is a translation into a synthetic Scots by Edwin Morgan. A further translation into Englsih prose might be something like:
Night, street, lamp, apothecary
All with a dreary and dull light.
Live for twenty-five years or more –
Nothing will change, nothing take flight.
Yes, you can die, restart it all,
Everything turning round like a spinning top,
Night, and the canal’s cold wave,
Street, apothecary and lamp.
Aleksander Blok : 20th century Russian Poet
Edwin Morgan : Scottish poet – 1920 - present
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3 comments:
Interesting poem and it's good see someone using Scots to translate into. Reminds me of the struggles I had with Dunbar when studying lit. as a student! These two fellows are new to me. Thanks.
Thank you SB. There's an alternative version on wikepedia that's worth a look. Its one of those poems that, although short, has an ambiguous quality that takes you back to it, as if the meaning is almost within your grasp...but not quite.
The best kind of poetry! :)
Bear C/O
www.thereitisnt.blogspot.com
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