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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

I'll arouse reminiscences

 Saying Goodbye



I will be saying goodbye

at the crossroads,

heading off down that road

through my soul.


I'll arouse reminiscences,

stir up mean hours.

I'll arrive at the garden spot

in my song (my tiny white song),

& I'll start in to shiver & shake

like the morning star. 


I've italicized the elements Rothenberg introduces here that might be seen as redundant, or absent in the original, of this poem from Lorca's Suites.  Every decision seems to lead towards a greater wordiness. It's as though the translator had forgotten English. Who says "start in to..." instead of "start to"?  Or "arouse reminiscences" instead of "awakening memories"?  The future progress is really weird here: "I will be saying goodbye."  Who talks like that?  


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