Comments on: Antonio Machado – Last night, as I was sleeping http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/ Sacred Poetry from Around the World Fri, 24 May 2013 01:45:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Qahira http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54337 Qahira Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:04:57 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54337 yes, it's very odd that a poet would translate Holy Illusion as Marvellous Error. (Marvellous vision works too!) If it had been just once it might've worked, but it was a repeated line which became very jarring. An illusion is not necessarily an error... it changes the tone of the poem from one of hope & appreciation to one of despair. Especially when you read the last line - Last night i dreamt i had god in my heart. Holy illusion! Marvellous vision! Hopefully not an error... yes, it’s very odd that a poet would translate Holy Illusion as Marvellous Error. (Marvellous vision works too!)
If it had been just once it might’ve worked, but it was a repeated line which became very jarring.
An illusion is not necessarily an error… it changes the tone of the poem from one of hope & appreciation to one of despair.
Especially when you read the last line – Last night i dreamt i had god in my heart. Holy illusion! Marvellous vision! Hopefully not an error…

]]> By: rena navon http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54336 rena navon Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:37:48 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54336 There seems to be more confusion over Bly's translation than anything else in the above comments, yet I admire how the responses try to straighten out 'error' by stretching their accepting hearts to embrace his criticism without reservation. Robert Bly seems to me to be less trusting than the poet he is assessing; less given to accepting the experience such as it feels. Maybe he even feels bitter over information he can't really believe. In other words, is he bridging two worlds it is not so simple to relate to one other, but in his intellectual audacity, he can't resist embracing? I don't believe mutual understanding can be taken for granted between all poets. One can only try. There seems to be more confusion over Bly’s translation than anything else in the above comments, yet I admire how the responses try to straighten out ‘error’ by stretching their accepting hearts to embrace his criticism without reservation.
Robert Bly seems to me to be less trusting than the poet he is assessing; less given to accepting the experience such as it feels. Maybe he even feels bitter over information he can’t really believe. In other words, is he bridging two worlds it is not so simple to relate to one other, but in his intellectual audacity, he can’t resist embracing? I don’t believe mutual understanding can be taken for granted between all poets. One can only try.

]]> By: amir freimann http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54256 amir freimann Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:54:31 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54256 הלילה, בעת שישנתי מאת אנטוניו מצ'אדו תרגום לאנגלית: רוברט בליי תרגום לעברית: עמיר פריימן הלילה, בעת שישנתי, חלמתי - הזיה נפלאה! – שאביב מבצבץ ובוקע מתוך לבי. אמרתי: באיזה תעלה נסתרת מים, אתם באים אלי, מים של חיים חדשים שטרם שתיתי מעודי? הלילה, בעת שישנתי, חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! – שכוורת דבורים רוחשת כאן בתוך לבי. והדבורים הזהובות הכינו חלות דבש לבנות ודבש מתוק מכישלונותיי הישנים. הלילה, בעת שישנתי, חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! – ששמש לוהטת מפיצה אור בתוך לבי. היא הייתה לוהטת כי חשתי חום כמו מתנור, ושמש כי הפיצה אור והביאה דמעות לעיניי. הלילה, בעת שישנתי, חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! – שזהו אלוהים ששוכן כאן בתוך לבי. הלילה, בעת שישנתי
מאת אנטוניו מצ’אדו
תרגום לאנגלית: רוברט בליי
תרגום לעברית: עמיר פריימן

הלילה, בעת שישנתי,
חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! –
שאביב מבצבץ ובוקע
מתוך לבי.
אמרתי: באיזה תעלה נסתרת
מים, אתם באים אלי,
מים של חיים חדשים
שטרם שתיתי מעודי?

הלילה, בעת שישנתי,
חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! –
שכוורת דבורים רוחשת
כאן בתוך לבי.
והדבורים הזהובות
הכינו חלות דבש לבנות
ודבש מתוק
מכישלונותיי הישנים.

הלילה, בעת שישנתי,
חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! –
ששמש לוהטת מפיצה
אור בתוך לבי.
היא הייתה לוהטת כי חשתי
חום כמו מתנור,
ושמש כי הפיצה אור
והביאה דמעות לעיניי.

הלילה, בעת שישנתי,
חלמתי – הזיה נפלאה! –
שזהו אלוהים ששוכן
כאן בתוך לבי.

]]> By: Shai http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54255 Shai Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:38:59 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54255 One should pay attention to the fact that the illusions manifest in a stat of sleep and dream, where everything is possible, and that is probably the so called error Bly pointed out. One should pay attention to the fact that the illusions manifest in a stat of sleep and dream, where everything is possible, and that is probably the so called error Bly pointed out.

]]> By: Shanti http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54238 Shanti Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:38:55 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54238 Perhaps the error or acknowledgement of what really happened is a but a marvelous humility to disarm the rational self that always tries to pull one back into the familiar light and life.Why engage with it and lose what is essential.Leave me with my wine and my saki!O yes!Its all an error but I dwell in a garden that maps do not direct me to. Perhaps the error or acknowledgement of what really happened is a but a marvelous humility to disarm the rational self that always tries to pull one back into the familiar light and life.Why engage with it and lose what is essential.Leave me with my wine and my saki!O yes!Its all an error but I dwell in a garden that maps do not direct me to.

]]> By: Leah Jones http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54232 Leah Jones Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:07:47 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54232 Very dear Ivan, Thank you so much for this absolutely delightful poem. A friend of mine has used the verse about the bees as her signature on her mails for a long time, and it was such a delight to see this in full. I have only written to say thank you for your posts once before, and I'm very sorry for that. I must tell you, that I read this avidly, every day, and am very grateful for the time you take to put it together. Today was such a stunner that I just had to remark on it. I shall try and mend my manners, and say thank you more often to the poems and commentry by you that I love so much. Very best wishes to you, and a big hug too. Always, Leah. Very dear Ivan,
Thank you so much for this absolutely delightful poem. A friend of mine has used the verse about the bees as her signature on her mails for a long time, and it was such a delight to see this in full.
I have only written to say thank you for your posts once before, and I’m very sorry for that. I must tell you, that I read this avidly, every day, and am very grateful for the time you take to put it together. Today was such a stunner that I just had to remark on it. I shall try and mend my manners, and say thank you more often to the poems and commentry by you that I love so much.
Very best wishes to you, and a big hug too.
Always, Leah.

]]> By: Kay Engler http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54231 Kay Engler Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:57:46 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54231 Thank you, Ivan, for posting this poem. It was truly a gift to be reminded of how much I have always loved Antonio Machado's poetry. I studied Spanish literature as a graduate student. I found the poetry of Machado and Juan Ramon Jimenez to be particularly lovely. Thank you, Ivan, for posting this poem. It was truly a gift to be reminded of how much I have always loved Antonio Machado’s poetry. I studied Spanish literature as a graduate student. I found the poetry of Machado and Juan Ramon Jimenez to be particularly lovely.

]]> By: Gemma Wilson http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54228 Gemma Wilson Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:10:13 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54228 thank you Ivan! I too love this poem. I lived in Colombia and Mexico for many years and there "ilusion" means a living dream, something one dreams of doing or becoming. So that might be a better translation. Gemma thank you Ivan! I too love this poem.

I lived in Colombia and Mexico for many years and there “ilusion” means a living dream, something one dreams of doing or becoming. So that might be a better translation.
Gemma

]]> By: Jenny Maertens http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54227 Jenny Maertens Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:53:03 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54227 If Machado meant "illusion" I can see why Bly used "error" because, really, what is an illusion but seeing somethin that isn't there. Perhaps Machado meant it would be a blessed illusion or "error" to think that the images ( secret aquaduct, golden bees, God etc) were just a dream as each stanza begins with "last night, as I was sleeping I dreamt". If Machado meant “illusion” I can see why Bly used “error” because, really, what is an illusion but seeing somethin that isn’t there. Perhaps Machado meant it would be a blessed illusion or “error” to think that the images ( secret aquaduct, golden bees, God etc) were just a dream as each stanza begins with “last night, as I was sleeping I dreamt”.

]]> By: Ana Holub http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2012/04/23/antonio-machado-last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-2/#comment-54225 Ana Holub Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:41:22 +0000 http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/?p=1965#comment-54225 Thank you, Ian. What an incredible poem. Will you publish the original in Spanish for us? Thank you, Ian. What an incredible poem. Will you publish the original in Spanish for us?

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