Moving the River

I can't read poetry. I can only listen to poetry through songs. Words spoken out, sung. Maybe just a few lines, a couple of verses, no more than little pieces of language sewn together. Only this way does it work. Gets inside. Means something.

An example: Prefab Sprout: Moving the River, a song from the album Steve McQueen (1985). Lyrics: Paddy McAloon ( you can listen to it here, recorded live, or here, covered by a Japanese guy who confuses the r's and the l's).

You surely are a truly gifted kid
But you're only as good as the last great thing you did
And where've you been since then?
Did the schedule get you down?
I hear you've got a new girlfriend
How's the wife taking it?
If it's uphill all the way you should be used to it by now
You must know me
Father, it's your son
And I know that you are proud of everything I've done
But it's the wonders I perform,
Pulling rabbits out of hats
When sometimes I'd prefer
Simply to wear them
----
My translation:
Realment ets un xiquet amb talent
però només compta l'última gran cosa que has fet.
I on has estat des de llavors?
Et va afectar tanta cosa programada?
He sentit dir que tens una altra nóvia,
com s'ho pren la teua dona?
Si es fa costera amunt, hauries d'estar ja acostumat.
Em deus conéixer.
Pare, sóc el teu fill,
i sé que estàs orgullós de tot el que he fet,
però són només trucs que interprete,
traient conills del barret,
quan a vegades preferiria
dur-lo posat.

2 comentaris:

Sandra D.Roig ha dit...

Gràcies per la teua correcció.
:) Una salutació.

Tadeus ha dit...

De res, Sandra. I benvinguda per ací.

Ara bé, hauria d'aclarir que la "correcció" a què es refereix Sandra no té que vore amb les meues qualitats personals sinó a una xicoteta 'correcció' que li he fet en el seu blog:

http://papallonesenlallum.blogspot.com/2009/12/withman.html

Per cert, veig que ja ha canviat la "h" de lloc!