Brume by Cristina Castello (translation Pierre L’Abbe)
by Steven McCabe
The planet is a little outraged girl
With its days without dolls and its eyes without pupils
Her bundle awaits on a strange train platform
Next to millions of sadnesses without reply
A train that will carry to the tomb her gloveless heart
A plucked nib on my chest, this is the world
Stone hole, empty gap
All the chalices converge on my blood
I am a fountain positioned to offer
But the wound passes through the mouth of the poem
Abandonment resists the sky
And rattles the soul of the earth.
Or perhaps, is God dead?
All abandoned
Abandoned
Why do they, my eyes, look at them inside?
And why do they inside these beings look at my eyes?
No one but the Absolute answers.
Crystal and steel I am, but everyone sees the sword
And no one could imagine my crystals in shards
I will resist in an armour of poetry
I will resist swinging from the murmur of the stars
I will resist perched on the peek of a blade of grass
Attached to this moon of snow sailing through the mists
Who stare at me from the branch of the tree, that they cradle.
I can still open my hands to Those about me
I will not die without seeing that in the bundle Christ sings
I will not die before the compass foretells an epiphany.
Cristina Castello is an Argentinian poet and journalist now living in France. Her work is committed to peace and beauty against all social injustices. Her poems are always a commitment to the dignity of life, beauty and freedom. They have been translated into several languages. Her books include, Soif, (L’Harmattan 2004); Orage, (Bod 2009),Ombre (Trames 2010) and “Le chant des sirènes” / “El canto de las sirenas” (Chemins de plume, 2012).
Pierre L’Abbe is a Toronto translator, publisher, ebook designer and author of both poetry and short story collections.
That shaft of light into a deep dungeon cell. I am really struck by the lines “Crystal and steel I am, but everyone sees the sword…” and ..”I will resist perched on the peek of a blade of grass” I am struck again by how the soul transmits music (from your last post), and is a meeting place for the human and the spiritual. Fragile and deadly strong. Thank you for this one, Steven.
Cristina Castello
jackbaumgartner,
Vous êtes l’un des seules personnes à avoir bien compris la vraie signification de “Crystal and steel I am, but everyone sees the sword…” // ..”I will resist perched on the peek of a blade of grass” .
Merci !
Wow. I am glad I was able to respond to the imagery you depicted, and see what you described . Thank you for writing such a mystical and arrestingly beautiful poem.
Thank you Jack for your cinematic thoughts and impressions and reminder about the images in the poetry. You sent me back to the poem (and translation) again.
Your images here, Steven, are a deeply intuitive compliment … now more than layers…stitches, key holes, shafts, elegant distortion, curvilinear roundness….Her poetic images on the cusp of magic realism….but like Ingmar Bergman’s films, they have found a place somewhere under my skin.
Thank you Jana for your beautifully descriptive thoughts on the process, the images and personal response to Cristina’s poetry.
Bond, hard cover, 8×10 glossey pages within. Title, ‘Poemimage’ Let me know when I can purchase until then I will enjoy the previews.
Thank you Heather.
Cristina Castello
Arte en estado puro, la traducción de Pierre L’Abbe y el arte de Steven.
“El artista es como un violín en manos de experto: el menor toque de arco lo hace vibrar” (Kandinsky).
Ustedes son como ese violín.
Muchas gracias
Thank you Cristina…The reality you have spoken and described, using language… have inspired the images, and Pierre has made your inspiration visible. Thank you!
absorbed completely in this dance of images and words…exquisite work Steven…
Thank you John, As you know, one cannot ask for more, (artistic absorption). Very much appreciated.
Powerful collaboration – such a tight fit between word and image (each shifting between crystalline and abstract) – a really beautiful combination!
Thank you Richard, I appreciate you saying what you are seeing. It’s a strong observation and expands my sense of what we’ve done here.
Superbes illustrations aussi ! les votres ? congratulations !
Thank you Lam. I think you are asking if the images are mine. Yes. Both digital and original drawing. Thank you for your visit.
I see butterfly wings..
I’m going to look now. Thank you Karen.
Following a suggested trail this morning, Steven, before racing off to work… grounding in the body…grounding in a “body” of work….impresses on me still the extraordinary marriage of image and word. Thank you my friend!
Wonderful of you to visit Jana before rushing off to work and thank you for your impressions of this ‘marriage.’ I am
struck by your use of ‘trail’ and ‘body’ in the same long sentence. This reminds me of both action and reflection simultaneously.