Corona Comments

Very Interesting poem.

FINAL: he memory of disaster and the busy pressure of the time period immediately after the war affect the private life of the two lovers and shape the tone of this love poem

Corona" is a short lyric poem about the difficulty of loving, honestly and truly, for two people who have experienced the catastrophes of World War II and the Holocaust.

5. Although I attempt translating poems of other poets, I have found it quite difficult to translate my own poems.

4. I am bilingual (at least) . I write both in Malayalam and English. But, I have realised very often that, it is the poem that decides which language it would be born. I have not much of a choice there.

3. When the poet uses a word in German in a poem, the word's cultural lineage imparts a special contextual meaning and positioning. This cannot be attained in a translation in English, because the English equivalent of the original German word lacks these…

2. Even such a poet can do only 50% justice, I repeat. Even the original poet's translation, if he makes one, will have 90% of aesthetic beauty of the original. Because of the limitations of the languages…

I don't read German. So I can't comment on the quality of translation. But Terry Craddock is quite right. Only a talented poet who fluent in both the original and target languages can make 50% justice..

The translation is terrible, taking everything which is making Celan so unique and sublime.

The philosopher Hans Gadamer who reveres Celan predicts in another century or so we will comprehend Celan's poems. Until then we can approxomarte its meaning, as his biographer and translator John Feltstimer does. // CORONA is Celan's response to Rilke's AUTUMN DAY which exuberantly celebrates the plentitude at the source of th]ngs. The image of the stone flowering occurs in later poems as well..Can these bits an pieces add up to an interpretatuin?

Articulated visions of an artist who sees a canvas of which we are given glimpses. Fascinating to read and contemplate, as we look through the light of the projector and attempt to understand the artist within.

Room for sleeping! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

It reminds me of the song TIME popularized by ALAN PARSONS PROJECT++++++++++++++++++

but read my comments * [ '' PSALM '' ] '' Hamburger’s translations are more definite. [..] no one translation will ever be adequate enough. [..] A reader wishing to fully intake Celan’s words in English must become a comparative reader, a critical reader, and most importantly a reader who understands that perhaps one of Celan’s most discomforting elements is that he didn’t always wish to be understood. '' * [Goodrich, J., Rhyme or Reason? : Successfully Translating the Poetry of Paul Celan,2008]

in German - original version: Corona Aus der Hand frißt der Herbst mir sein Blatt: wir sind Freunde. Wir schälen die Zeit aus den Nüssen und lehren sie gehn: die Zeit kehrt zurück in die Schale. Im Spiegel ist Sonntag, im Traum wird geschlafen, der Mund redet wahr. Mein Aug steigt hinab zum Geschlecht der Geliebten: wir sehen uns an, wir sagen uns Dunkles, wir lieben einander wie Mohn und Gedächtnis, wir schlafen wie Wein in den Muscheln, wie das Meer im Blutstrahl des Mondes. Wir stehen umschlungen im Fenster, sie sehen uns zu von der Straße: es ist Zeit, daß man weiß! Es ist Zeit, daß der Stein sich zu blühen bequemt, daß der Unrast ein Herz schlägt. Es ist Zeit, daß es Zeit wird. Es ist Zeit. Paul Celan (b.23 November 1920)