Saturday, November 6, 2010

languagehat.com: A DRAFT OF MANDELSTAM.

languagehat.com: A DRAFT OF MANDELSTAM.

An agument about translating a well-known poem into English... Just couldn't resist. I don't have any hopes for the result, but I had tons of fun trying:

Insomnia with Homer. Tightened sales.
I read but half of the enumeration
Of those ships that in a long formation
Flew over Hellas back in those days.

Like pointed line of cranes to alien shores -
The heads of kings are blessed with sacred foam -
Without Helen, why is it you roam?
Oh brave Achaeans, what would Troy be worth?

Like sea, the heroes by love are set in motion.
Who should I listen to? With Homer now mute,
Black sea is bringing forth its foamy dispute,
To my head-rest in thunderous commotion.

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