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Translation exercise - On a Night of Snow

From:Nokta Kanto <red5_2@...>
Date:Wednesday, April 16, 2003, 8:10
I ran across this poem and thought it could be a good translation
exercise. Nothing like a little poetry to incite one's wanderlust.

ON A NIGHT OF SNOW
 Elizabeth Coatsworth

 Cat, if you go outdoors, you must walk in the snow.
 You will come back with little white shoes on your feet,
 little white shoes of snow that have heels of sleet.
 Stay by the fire, my Cat. Lie still, do not go.
 See how the flames are leaping and hissing low,
 I will bring you a saucer of milk like a marguerite,
 so white and so smooth, so spherical and so sweet -
 stay with me, Cat. Outdoors the wild winds blow.

 Outdoors the wild winds blow, Mistress, and dark is the night,
 strange voices cry in the trees, intoning strange lore,
 and more than cats move, lit by our eyes green light,
 on silent feet where the meadow grasses hang hoar -
 Mistress, there are portents abroad of magic and might,
 and things that are yet to be done. Open the door!

Reply

Roger Mills <romilly@...>