Bethany W Pope at the gym: double acrostic

Timothy Adès

Bethany W. Pope, poet who worked in a Swindon cinema, now teaching in China, keeps very fit, and is good at fencing. This is one of several poems about poets at the gym. The others are by George Szirtes, each written in the poet's own style.
Bethany W Pope at the gym: double acrostic
At last I’ve done my cinematic job, Doled out the popcorn, smiled at rudery, Obliged the arrogant, survived the snob, Unplugged the hot projector. I am free. Boots hide my kneecaps, and my black beret Looks cute to louts, to whom I’ll say ‘Unh-unh’, Easing my strength and love between the A And Z of Swindon life, till home is won. Come, haul my heavy sled, abusive guy! Ratchet my stepper up, the speed’s too slow, Or raise my press-up bar insanely high. P- Sychology and muscles: way to go! Touché! Lunge, slash! This is the life for me. P- Irate in space – that’s what I’d love to be. (Can’t count! The parodist’s catastrophe!!!!!)

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HUMORAGE TO PICASSO

Categories
French

HUMORAGE TO PICASSO

Roger Vitrac (1899-1952)

Et vive le pinceau De l’ami Picasso! - Apollinaire Cet arbre fait comme un tombeau, Cet astre comme un numéro, Ce soleil comme un escargot, C’est Picagot. Ce journal ni joli, ni beau, Cette sciure de gâteau, Ce double sein comme un étau, C’est Picétau. Ces cheveux poussant dans un pot, Cet œil pareil aux culs d’oiseaux, Ce marétal porte-marcheau, C’est Picacheau. Ce mou, ce dur, ce matériau, Moulé, pompé comme la chaux, Colorié à coups de plumeau, C’est Picaplo. Ce dos, ce pal, ce paletot, Ce récit mis comme un fardeau Sur la tartine de Toto, C’est Picato. Ce sol tout nu, ce ciel sans os, Cette baigneuse comme un gigot, Et ce cheval comme un sabot, C’est Pisabot. Socrate au torse de fourneau, Divisant le diamant des eaux Pour l’épingler dans un tableau, C’est Pitableau. L’allumette épinglant le faux, La faulx imitant le râteau, Pour peindre un rire à l’Otéro, C’est Picaro. Enfin, Napoléon changeant de peau, La peau changeant de poils labiaux, Et les poils changeant de pinceau, C’est Picasso!
HUMORAGE TO PICASSO
Our pal Picasso, Long live his brush-oh! Pirate and corsair, Here’s to his horsehair! [Apollinaire] This star like a digit, This tree like a tomb, This sun like a mollusc, Picasso, that’s whom! This nondescript newsprint, Twin screw-clamp bazoom, This gateau-crumb sawdust, Picasso, that’s whom! This plant-pot with hair on, Eyes like a bird’s bum, Top brass-knocker’s knapsack, Picasso, fo fum! This soft stuff, this tough stuff, Touched up with a broom, Pump-grind it to lime-sludge, Picasso, that’s whom! This topcoat, this back-stick, This talk, spread like lipstick On small buttered biscuit – Picasstic! This boneless sky, bare leafless view, Beach-beauty like a lamb jigoo, This horseflesh like a wooden shoe – Picashoo! This Socrates, stove-torso, Splits diamond-ice from water To prick a picture-pableau, Picorso! This matchstick pricking a mistake, This scythe that imitates a rake, To paint a laugh on Frou-Frou – who? Picuckoo! Last verse Napoleon’s fresh husk-oh, Fresh husk on the nap-oh, Fresh nap on the brush-oh, Picasso!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Roger Vitrac...

A Simple Matter

Einfache Sache

Eugen Roth (1895-1976)

Einfache Sache
Ein Mensch drückt gegen eine Türe, wild stemmt er sich, daß sie sich rühre! Die schwere Türe, erzgegossen, bleibt ungerührt und fest verschlossen. Ein Unmensch, sonst gewiß nicht klug, versuchts ganz einfach jetzt mit Zug. Und schau! (Der Mensch steht ganz betroffen) Schon ist die schwere Türe offen! So geht's auch sonst in vielen Stücken: Dort, wo's zu ziehen gilt, hilft kein Drücken!
A Simple Matter
A man was pushing at a door, to move it, straining more and more. The door was heavy, made of cast iron, and just stayed put, shut fast. A brute, no intellectual, tried it quite simply with a pull: and look! the man was mortified: the heavy door had opened wide. and that is often the position: when pulling works, it's no good pushing!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Eugen Roth...

Le Cid

Categories
French

Le Cid

GEORGES FOUREST (1867-1945)

Le palais de Gormaz, comte et gobernador, est en deuil : pour jamais dort couché sous la pierre l'hidalgo dont le sang a rougi la rapière de Rodrigue appelé le Cid Campeador. Le soir tombe. Invoquant les deux saints Paul et Pierre Chimène, en voile noire, s'accoude au mirador et ses yeux dont les pleurs ont brûlé la paupière regarde, sans rien voir, mourir le soleil d'or... Mais un éclair, soudain, fulgure en sa prunelle : sur la plaza Rodrigue est debout devant elle ! Impassible et hautain, drapé dans sa capa, le héros meurtrier à pas lents se promène : - Dieu! soupire à part soi la plaintive Chimène, qu'il est joli garçon l'assassin de Papa !
Le Cid
There is death at Count Gormaz the Governor’s hall: beneath the cold capstone for ever is laid the hidalgo whose blood has just reddened the blade of Rodrigo the Cid, greatest champ of them all. Black-draped on the mirador – evening must fall – Chimène is entreating Saints Peter and Paul. Her eyes are all fiery with tears as she prays: she watches, unseeing, the last golden rays. But suddenly lightning has flashed in her face! In his cape in the plaza below her he stands, impassive and haughty, with blood on his hands! The hero goes strolling at moderate pace, and Chimène turns aside to sigh wistfully, “La! What a good-looking fellow has butchered papa!”

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by GEORGES FOUREST...

Young lady at the seaside

Das Fräulein Stand am Meere

Heinrich Heine (1797-1856)

Das Fräulein Stand am Meere
Das Fräulein stand am Meere, es seufzte lang und bang; es rührte sie so sehre der Sonnenuntergang. Mein Fräulein, sei’n Sie munter, es ist ein altes Stück: hier vorne geht sie unter, und kehrt von hinten zurück!
Young lady at the seaside
Young lady at the seaside, A poor unhappy one, In sorrow and ennui sighed To see the setting sun. This is an old, old story. Young lady, dry your eyes! The sun that sets before ye, Behind your back shall rise!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

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A una Nariz

To A Nose

Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645)

To A Nose
Érase un hombre a una nariz pegado, érase una nariz superlativa, érase una nariz sayón y escriba, érase un peje espada muy barbado, Era un reloj de sol mal encarado, érase una alquitara pensativa, érase un elefante boca arriba, era Ovidio Nasón más narizado, Érase un espolón de una galera, érase una pirámide de Egito: los doce tribus de narices era, Érase un naricísimo infinito, muchísimo nariz, nariz tan fiera, que en la cara de Anás fuera delito.
A una Nariz
There was a nose, which had a man appended. It was a nose superb, superlative, it was a nose, a hangman and a scribe, it was a swordfish, sharp and hairy-ended. It was a solar clock in discomposure, a pronged alembic, querulous and nervy, it was an elephant turned topsy-turvy, it was Ovidius Naso, only nosier, it was the Pyramid of Oxyrhynchus, it was a figurehead for seaborne warriors, it was a whole twelve tribes of errant honkers, it was infinity of nasal noseness, a nose too total and a nose too glorious, a crime that would besmirch the face of Annas.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Francisco de Quevedo...

Sunny Sun, Moony Moon

SOL SOLECITO, LUNA LUNERA

Anon

SOL SOLECITO, LUNA LUNERA
Sol, solecito, caliéntame un poquito, por hoy por mañana, por toda la semana, luna lunera, cascabelera, cinco pollitos y una ternera. Luna, lunera, cascabelera, Los ojos azules, la cara morena. Luna, lunera, cascabelera, Debajo de la cama tienes la cena. Luna, lunera, cascabelera, Toma un ochavo para canela. Caracol, caracol, a la una sale el sol, sale Pinocho tocando el tambor con una cuchara y un tenedor. Que llueva, que llueva La Virgen de la Cueva Los pajaritos cantan, Las nubes se levantan. ¡Que sí, que no, que caiga un chaparrón! Que siga lloviendo, Los pájaros corriendo Florezca la pradera Al sol de la primavera. ¡Que sí, que no, que llueva a chaparrón, que no me moje yo!
Sunny Sun, Moony Moon
Sun, sunny sun, rise and shine, sunny Sun, Any day, every day, warm everyone, Moon, moony Monday, rattle only one day, One little moo-cow, six chicks on Sunday. Moon, moony Monday, two blue eyes, Sunny sunny face and sunny sunny skies. Moon, moony rattle, for a sleepyhead, Sleepyhead, your supper’s underneath your bed. Moony moony rattle, take a penny quick, Take a pretty penny for a cinnamon stick. Snaily snail in the sun, Snaily snail, clock struck one, Peter Pinecone, sun and moon, Bangs his drum with fork and spoon. Rainier and rainier Lady of Lodeña The dicky-birds are cheeping The cloudy-clouds are leaping It’s yes, it’s no, It’s raining, let it snow! Rainy rainy weather Birds of a feather All flock together Sun, showers, fields of flowers, Spring sun, rainy sky, Just you keep me dry!

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Anon...