just about to leave for Changi Airport to fly back to Europe... haven't had time to share all the fun and no-work escapades and now i have to say goodbye... albeit briefly...
Goodbyes
Goodbye, goodbye, to one place or another,
to every mouth, to every sorrow,
to the insolent moon, to weeks
which wound in the days and disappeared,
goodbye to this voice and that one stained
with amaranth, and goodbye
to the usual bed and plate,
to the twilit setting of all goodbyes,
to the chair that is part of the same twilight,
to the way made by my shoes.
I spread myself, no question;
I turned over whole lives,
changed skin, lamps, and hates,
it was something I had to do,
not by law or whim,
more of a chain reaction;
each new journey enchained me;
I took pleasure in place, in all places.
And, newly arrived, I promptly said goodbye
with still newborn tenderness
as if the bread were to open and suddenly
flee from the world of the table.
So I left behind all languages,
repeated goodbyes like an old door,
changed cinemas, reasons, and tombs,
left everywhere for somewhere else;
I went on being, and being always
half undone with joy,
a bridegroom among sadnesses,
never knowing how or when,
ready to return, never returning.
It's well known that he who returns never left,
so I traced and retraced my life,
changing clothes and planets,
growing used to the company,
to the great whirl of exile,
to the great solitude of bells tolling.
--- Pablo Neruda ---
from Fully Empowered translated by Alastair Reid
lovely poem. Glad that we managed to catch up. Certainly wished you could come back more often. We're going to miss you!!!
Now that you have that spiffy digicam, you have to post more pictures!
Posted by: dsd on Wednesday, 29 December, 2004 at 14:56 hrsyup!! indeedy! had lots of fun with you peeps! thanks again!
Posted by: hrm on Friday, 31 December, 2004 at 18:19 hrswhat a great poem. hope you don't suffer too much jetlag.
Posted by: monoceros on Saturday, 1 January, 2005 at 03:07 hrsNeruda is just simply a passionate genius.
i am coping okayish monoceros! thanks for your concern. will keep up with the posting... :C)
Posted by: hrm on Saturday, 1 January, 2005 at 15:08 hrs*Note: in case you were thinking of leaving a comment and the option isn't here anymore... it is because the comment section of each entry is closed after sometime to prevent malicious comments... if you are looking for the actual entry, type in the keyword(s) in the little box on the main page http://overacuppa.com where it says "fossicking pebbles & seashells" and press *search*... thank you for popping by and happy browsing!