(This quintet rhymed: ababc might in its propos -
perhaps in its imagery and allusion - be based on some family history involving the tragedy over a son and the subsequent adoption of a daughter. If I’m wrong I offer my profoundest apologies in advance.)
The Frog Translation of Etiemble's quintet "La grenouille" by T Wignesan
(This quintet rhymed: ababc might in its propos -
perhaps in its imagery and allusion - be based on some family history involving the tragedy over a son and the subsequent adoption of a daughter. If I’m wrong I offer my profoundest apologies in advance.)
Lime-stuck last night by the frozen water of the pond,
frog boxed in glass window fending off thickening waters,
it’s our naked daughter, heart of cold gold, shivering
recumbent statue hardened: withstanding the rigours of our wars:
stuck the other night by the cold of its/her times.
This’s our hardened son who plays the frog and to himself lies,
caresses sharks, courts a female cosair
puts trust in spurious air which entices and captures,
flimsy trapped game strangling us by the collar,
frogs petrified by the fright of our times.
"Perhaps it is better in the original French?" Monseigneur Don Ron, you are asking for trouble...badly, aren't you? You are implying (snidely) that my French is not good enough to translate a man I had known from February 1973 (I was nominated to the National Centre for Scientific Research on his recommandation, for your info), and even if I had added the original French quintet, would you have been able to judge whether I got the translation right???
Besides, you got something mixed-up, for which you deserve to be called by your other title bestowed by me: "Miss-Reade-Ron". Etiemble, his second wife Jeannine Kohn and her son from a previous marriage have long passed away. Only the adopted Vietnamese daughter is alive.
I have half a mind to post the original poem in French, but I can't do that without permission, so you'll have to trust in my ability to translate French into English, even if I merely "picked up" the language - never studied it!!! Okay, Ron.
I must admit that I do not see the connection between the frog and the son and daughter of the original poet. Perhaps it is better in the original French?
It is toads that have a kind of antifreeze in their blood that they use while they are frozen in water or mud throughout the winter to keep alive. Frogs, however, do not have that protection and rely on eggs and tadpoles from those eggs to repopulate ponds every year after the winter freeze.
Perhaps he thinks his daughter will come back from the dead. I don't know.
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Besides, you got something mixed-up, for which you deserve to be called by your other title bestowed by me: "Miss-Reade-Ron". Etiemble, his second wife Jeannine Kohn and her son from a previous marriage have long passed away. Only the adopted Vietnamese daughter is alive.
I have half a mind to post the original poem in French, but I can't do that without permission, so you'll have to trust in my ability to translate French into English, even if I merely "picked up" the language - never studied it!!! Okay, Ron.
It is toads that have a kind of antifreeze in their blood that they use while they are frozen in water or mud throughout the winter to keep alive. Frogs, however, do not have that protection and rely on eggs and tadpoles from those eggs to repopulate ponds every year after the winter freeze.
Perhaps he thinks his daughter will come back from the dead. I don't know.
Ron