Mihai Eminescu - translations by Adrian G. Sahlean & al.
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Eternal
Longing

Impossible
Love

Stelele-n Cer / Stars In The Sky

'Stelele-n cer' is undoubtedly a poem that stands out not only by its content but also by its prosodic form, unique among Eminescu's writings. Critics often point out the ingenuous use of language that embeds content into a 'music form' that is 'specifically Eminescu' - i.e., instantly recognizable and 'untranslatable'. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the reason this poem was never approached by translators, which makes 'Stars in the Sky' also unique in English.

Stars in the Sky (Stelele-n Cer) is part of the 'Eminescu - Eternal Longing, Impossible Love' book/CD project presented elsewhere on this site.
The set can be purchased at an exclusive price only on this site store!
home / eve star / glossa / onto the star / over tree tops / stars in the sky / wretched dionis / store

Mihai Eminescu

Stelele-n Cer

Stelele-n cer
    Deasupra mărilor
    Ard depărtărilor,
Până ce pier.

După un semn
    Clătind catargele,
    Tremură largele
Vase de lemn;

Nişte cetăţi
    Plutind pe marile
    Şi mişcătoarele
Pustietăţi.

Stol de cocori
    Apucă-ntinsele
    Şi necuprinsele
Drumuri de nori

Zboară ce pot
    Şi-a lor întrecere,
    Vecinică trecere -
Asta e tot...

Floare de crâng,
    Astfel vieţile
    Şi tinereţile
Trec şi se stâng.

Orice noroc
    Şi-ntinde-aripele,
    Gonit de clipele
Starii pe loc.

Până nu mor
    Pleacă-te, îngere,
    La trista-mi plângere
Plina de-amor.

Nu e păcat
   Ca să se lepede
   Clipa cea repede
Ce ni s-a dat?
Adrian G. Sahlean

Stars In The Sky

Stars in the sky
    Of lone existence
    Burn in the distance
Until they die.

After their marks
    Masts on ships flutter,
    Ocean waves clutter
Wandering barks—

Forts of wood, free,
    Floating to splutter
    Slow-moving water,
Deserts of sea.

Autumn birds stray
    Over far beaches
    And boundless reaches
Of cloudy way;

Fly to their fall
    In race nocturnal—
    Passage eternal—
For that is all.

Blossom of May
    Is youth that kindles
    Our life that dwindles
And goes away.

For every fate
    Spreads fleeting seconds
    On wing that beckons
Quiescent state.

Before I die,
    Angel lean under
    When in my wonder
With grief I sigh:

Why waste, alas,
    This fragile flower
    Of rapid hour
Given to us?
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