HILARY ELFICK

Ben at Gabblethorpe
for Robin
 

Ben and I write letters
the same way we play
the piano. It’s all chords.

Don’t you remember?

Surrealism in sound
exploration of the mysterious
in a world where anything is
possible, most of life
incomprehensible.
We flit past Dr Johnson’s
dusty rule-book,
sail over syntax, flying
straight to the chattering stars

swoop down again through
misty tunnels where mice and voles
tweak profundities,
twitching their electronic whiskers
and Frog wears a jewel in his head
and expects to marry the princess.

I thought you knew that.
You used to speak it once
before you grew up,
impressed your friends,
passed exams, pleased me.

Roxana-Monica Mîndrican

Hilary Elfick
 

Ben la Gabblethorpe
pentru Robin

Eu si Ben scriem scrisori
in acelasi fel in care cantam
la pian. Sunt numai acorduri.

Nu-ti amintesti?

Suprarealismul intr-o explorare
rationala a misterelor
intr-o lume unde orice este
posibil, viata fiind in mare parte de nepatruns.
Trecem rapid* peste prafuita cartea
de reguli a, lui Dr. Johnson*
navigam deasupra sintaxei, zburam
direct catre stelele vorbarete,

ne napusteam din nou in jos prin
tunelurile neguroase unde soarecii si
sobolanii de camp rascolesc profunzimile,
contractandu-si mustatile electronice
si Broasca poarta un giuvaier pe cap
si asteapta s-o ia in casatorie pe printesa.

Am crezut ca tu stii.
Vorbeai candva despre asta
inainte sa te maturizezi,
iti impresionai prietenii,
treceai examene, imi faceai pe plac.

*“flit” in the source text( to fly, to pass very fast)- I chose to translate it by ‘trecem rapid’ I used the verb “trecem”(pass) whose meaning is somehow neuter and the adverb’repede”(fast)in order to render this idea of rapid movement.

*Samuel Johnson (often referred to as Dr Johnson) (18 September 1709 [O.S. 7 September] – 13 December 1784) was an English author. Beginning as a Grub Street journalist, he made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. Johnson was a devout Anglican and political conservative, and has been described as "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history". He is also the subject of "the most famous single work of biographical art in the whole of literature": James Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson.