The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Thu 1/24/2008)

[RetroLounge]

Gwen

A half-century separates us. Saturday, when I bring you, with your yellow hair
and backpack, to my studio, you tell me about your week and at dinner you
drink three liters of water and talk to me about Kant as if you had been at war
with him. Sometimes, I don’t agree; you show your claws and dig them in me.
You’re called the Egyptian because of your dark complexion and almond eyes.
You are a beautiful girl, the daughter of your father, my friend, and I could be
his father. These are fragile matters, properly handled with caution and love, so
they will last.

Georges Godeau

translated from the French by Kathleen McGookey

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Georges Godeau was born in 1921 in Villiers-en-Plaine, France, worked as an engineer, and published sixteen books before his death in 1999. His work won the Prix du Livre in Poitou-Charentes. Though he is widely translated into Russian and Japanese, almost none of his writings have appeared in English.

Kathleen McGookey’s first book of poems, Whatever Shines, is available from White Pine Press. More of her translations of Godeau’s work appear in Chase Park, Connecticut Review, Denver Quarterly, The Interlochen Review, Mid-American, Salt Hill, and Stand.


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:hi:

RL

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. physical constraints. The body binds the soul.

The souls connect anyway. Beautiful. Thanks, RL :hi:

[RetroLounge]

4. you're welcome

:hi:

RL

[xchrom]

2. -- you did good today. wow -- love it!

This Is Just To Say  
by William Carlos Williams
I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox



and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast



Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold


edited cause my subject line made NO sense.

[RetroLounge]

5. Glad you like it!

:hug:

RL

[BlueIris]

3. "...as if you had been at war/with him."

Hee. I love it.

[RetroLounge]

6. Hey you!

Thanks for dropping by!

:hi:

RL