P/P | r2c | February: The Cockspur Haw & To Winter
P/P | r2c | February: The Cockspur Haw & To Winter
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"many hearts feel more comfortable with your rain -- time of winter -- your wind you with your cold clear stars promise not more than you love " from To Winter, a poem by Jan Hanlo This week, a winter image called Cockspur Haw. Also: a new translation of a Lowland poem.
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An Ode to Winter . . .
The guest poem for this week is a new English
translation of a Dutch ode to winter,
by the poet Jan
Hanlo:
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Aan de Winter O wintertijd zo schaars bezongen waarin de straten nat of koud waarin de sneeuw het groen bedwongen de bloemen in hun knoppen houdt niet kent gij -- wintertijd -- de vreugden de droefheid die het voorjaar heeft maar naakt en sober zijn uw deugden en niet meer hebt gij dan gij geeft wat doet ons -- wintertijd -- soms zuchten wanneer -- zo rijk -- de lente komt misschien dat wij uw afscheid duchten of dat uw naaktheid zich vermomt bij vele harten passen beter uw regen -- wintertijd -- uw wind gij met uw koude klare sterren belooft niet meer dan gij bemint Jan Hanlo (1912-1969) |
To
Winter O time of winter so scarcely sung when streets are wet or cold when the snow has driven away the green and holds blossoms in their buds you do not know -- time of winter -- the joy the sadness which comes with spring but plain and naked are your virtues and you have not more than you give what makes us -- time of winter -- sigh when -- so rich -- the spring comes perhaps that we dread your departure or that you disguise your nakedness many hearts feel more comfortable with your rain -- time of winter -- your wind you with your cold clear stars promise not more than you love (tr. Cliff Crego) |
| view / print Picture/Poem Poster:
To Winter (86 K) | or
download as PDF
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See also: new |
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"Straight
roads, Slow rivers, Deep clay." |
A collection of contemporary Dutch poetry in English translation, with commentary and photographs by Cliff Crego |
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See also another website by Cliff Crego: The Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke |
A presentation of 80 of the best poems of Rilke in both German and new English translations: biography, links, posters |
