How is Summer treating you? Do you have any Summer reading recommendations? I have quite a few books to recommend, but all in its due time. The location for these shots is beautiful Spli city, Croatia. I've actually been reading a lot of poetry lately. Today I'm in mood for poetry. So, we'll do some poetry.
In this post, I'm going to translate some poems by Croatian poetess Vesna Parun. It will be my own personal translation and interpretation. Considered by many to be the greatest Croatian poet of 20th century, Vesna Parun had a distinct and unique voice. Besides her poetry, I'm moved by her life story. Throughout her hard and long life, Vesna Parun always remained true to her poetical voice.
Vesna Parun is often mentioned as the first woman who lived exclusively from her writing. I always found that statement odd, considering the long tradition of female voices in Croatian literature. Didn't Croatia have the first female European journalist (who lived exclusively from her writing)? Marija Jurić Zagorka, born in 1873, wrote hundreds of books. While Zagorka never stopped writing as a journalist, she wrote books simultaneously. So, if anyone Marija Jurić Zagorka should hold that title.
Not that it matters much. When studying art, why obsess over gender? Vesna was interpreted poorly by so many different ideologies. Modern gender ideology being no exception. Like any ideology, it has no place in interpreting literature. Art is above ideology. And so was Vesna. Vesna wasn't popular with the communist government. She didn't fit in. Perhaps artists never do.
Is Vesna Parun a hard poetess to understand? Not if you listen with your soul.
Kakvo je ljeti prema vama? Imate li kakvu preporuku za ljetno čitanje? Imam dosta knjiga za preporučiti, ali sve u svoje vrijeme. Lokacija ovih snimaka je prelijepi grad Split, Hrvatska. U posljednje vrijeme zapravo čitam puno poezije. Danas sam raspoložena za poeziju, tak da ćemo danas pisati o poeziji.
U ovoj ću objavi prevesti neke pjesme hrvatske pjesnikinje Vesne Parun. To će biti moj osobni prijevod i tumačenje. Vesna Parun, koju mnogi smatraju najvećom hrvatskom pjesnikinjom 20. stoljeća, imala je osebujan i jedinstven glas. Osim njezine poezije, dirnuta sam njezinom životnom pričom. U svom teškom i dugom životu Vesna Parun uvijek je ostala vjerna svom pjesničkom glasu.
Vesna Parun često se spominje kao prva žena koja je živjela isključivo od svog pisanja. Uvijek mi je ta izjava bila čudna, s obzirom na dugu tradiciju ženskih glasova u hrvatskoj književnosti. Nije li Hrvatska imala prvu europsku novinarku (koja je živjela isključivo od svog pisanja)? Marija Jurić Zagorka, rođena 1873. godine, napisala je stotine knjiga. Iako Zagorka nikada nije prestala pisati kao novinarka, paralelno je pisala knjige. Dakle, ako bi itko tu titulu trebao nositi to je Marija Jurić Zagorka.
Nije da je bitno. Kada proučvamo umjetnost, zašto bismo trebali biti opsjednuti spolom? Vesna je bila loše protumačena od toliko različitih ideologija. Moderna rodna ideologija nije iznimka. Kao svakoj ideologiji, nema joj mjesta u tumačenju književnosti. Umjetnost je iznad ideologije. A takva je bila i Vesna. Vesna nije bila omiljena kod komunističke vlasti. Nije se uklapala. Možda se umjetnici nikad ne uklapaju.
Je li Vesna Parun teško razumljiva pjesnikinja? Nije, ako slušate svojom dušom.
ZA ONE KOJI ŽELE ZNATI VIŠE
Parun, Vesna, hrvatska književnica i prevoditeljica (Zlarin, 10. IV. 1922 – Stubičke Toplice, 25. X. 2010). Studij romanistike započela na Filozofskom fakultetu u Zagrebu 1940., prekinula zbog II. svjetskog rata. Nakon rata započela je studij filozofije na istom fakultetu, prekinula ga zbog bolesti 1947., od kada djeluje kao slobodna književnica.
Vrlo opsežan pjesnički opus V. Parun, najprevođenije hrvatske pjesnikinje, jedno je od najznačajnijih poglavlja suvremenoga hrvatskog pjesništva. Njezinu prvu pjesničku zbirku Zore i vihori (1947), u kojoj su mladenačka živost, ljubav i priroda suprotstavljene ratu, smrti i stradanju, tadašnja je službena socrealistička kritika proglasila apolitičnom, artistički ispraznom i dekadentnom. Ta je zbirka svojim opiranjem nasilnomu ideologiziranju poslijeratnoga pjesništva preteča poetike krugovaškoga naraštaja. Antologijskom zbirkom Crna maslina (1955) te zbirkama Ropstvo (1957), Pusti da otpočinem (1958) i Ti i nikad (1959) potvrdila se kao pjesnikinja zaokupljena ljubavlju. Ljubav i doživljaj prirode središnje su teme i zbirka Vidrama vjerna (1957), Koralj vraćen moru (1959) i Vjetar Trakije (1964), svojevrsnih himna moru. Spoznaju tragičnosti života izrazila je u zbirci Ukleti dažd (1969), punoj mračnih raspoloženja i rezignacije. U sljedećim zbirkama pokazala je sklonost ironičnomu, satiričnomu i grotesknomu, upućujući na konkretnu društvenu zbilju (Apokaliptičke basne, 1976; Salto mortale, 1981; Tronožac koji hoda, 1993; Smijeh od smrti jači, 1997; Pelin basne, 1998; Đoko i Đokonda: poetsko-satirični kontrapunkt, 2002., i dr.), iako se i poslije vraćala elegijskomu, nostalgičnom i metafizičkom ozračju prijašnjih zbirki (Bubnjevi umjesto srca, 2003). Na formalnome se planu iskazala i u slobodnome stihu i u tradicionalnim metričkim oblicima (sonetne zbirke Sto soneta, 1972; Olovni golub, 1972; Salto mortale; Suze putuju: /bolnički soneti/, 2002), a i u pjesmama u prozi (Indigo grad, 1990).
Objavila je polemičnu knjigu feljtona, basni i satira Pod muškim kišobranom (1987), meditativnu knjigu o patnji, ljubavi i pjesništvu Krv svjedoka (1988), zbirke satiričnih pošalica, epigrama i aforizama Političko Valentinovo (2000) i Grijeh smrtni: satira (2000), autobiografske zapise Noć za pakost: moj život u 40 vreća (2001). Uprizorivani su joj dramski tekstovi (Marija i mornar, 1960; Magareći otok, 1979). Izbor iz njezinih esejističkih tekstova objavljen je u knjizi Nedovršeni mozaik (1999). Njezino značajno stvaralaštvo za djecu prožeto je motivima iz biljnoga i životinjskoga svijeta te humorom (Tuga i radost šume, 1958; Zec mudronja, 1958; Patka Zlatka, 1959; Mačak Džingiskan i Miki Trasi, 1968; Miki – slavni kapetan, 1970; Igre pred oluju, 1979; Kroz prozorčić zime, 1995; Uspavanka za poljubac, 1997; Pčela, duga i mlin, 1997; Tri morske pustolovine, 2000). Prevodila je pjesme sa slovenskoga, bugarskoga, francuskoga i njemačkoga; osobito su cijenjeni njezini prepjevi pjesama Johanna Wolfganga Goethea, Heinricha Heinea i Rainera Marie Rilkea. Dobitnica je Nagrade Goranov vijenac za cjelokupan pjesnički opus (1977) i Nagrade »Vladimir Nazor« za životno djelo (1982).
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE
Parun, Vesna, Croatian writer and translator ( born in Zlarin, on 10th of April, 1922 – died in Stubičke Toplice, on 25th of October, 2010). Vesna began her study of Romance languages at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb in 1940, and stopped because of World War II. After the war, she began studying philosophy at the same faculty, but dropped out due to illness in 1947. Frm that point on, Vesna had been working as a freelance writer.
The very extensive poetic work of V. Parun, the most translated Croatian poetess, produced one of the most significant chapters of contemporary Croatian poetry. Her first poetry collection Zore i vihori (Dawns and Whirlwinds) published in 1947, in which youthful vitality, love and nature are contrasted with war, death and suffering, was declared apolitical, artistically empty and decadent by the then official socialist realist critics. With its resistance to the violent ideologising of post-war poetry, this collection is a forerunner of the poetics of the Krugovac generation. With the anthology collection Crna maslina (1955) and the collections Ropstvo (1957), Pusti da otpočinem (1958) and You and Never (1959), she confirmed herself as a poet preoccupied with love. Love and the experience of nature are the central themes of the collection Faithful Otters (1957), Coral Returned to the Sea (1959) and Wind of Thrace (1964), which are kind of hymns to the sea. She expressed her realization of the tragedy of life in the collection Ukleti dažd (1969), full of dark moods and resignation. In the following collections, she showed a penchant for the ironic, satirical and grotesque, referring to concrete social reality (Apocalyptic fables, 1976; Salto mortale, 1981; Tronožac koji hoda, 1993; Smijeh od smrti jacci, 1997; Pelin fables, 1998; Đoko and Đokonda: poetic-satirical counterpoint, 2002, etc.), although she later returned to the elegiac, nostalgic and metaphysical atmosphere of her previous collections (Drums instead of hearts, 2003). On the formal level, she expressed herself both in free verse and in traditional metrical forms (sonnet collections Sto soneta, 1972; Olovni golub, 1972; Salto mortale; Suze putuju: /bolnički sonneti/, 2002), and also in prose poems (Indigo grad, 1990).
She published a polemical book of feuilletons, fables and satires Under the Male Umbrella (1987), a meditative book about suffering, love and poetry Krv štjena (1988), a collection of satirical jokes, epigrams and aphorisms Political Valentine's Day (2000) and Deadly Sin: Satire (2000). , autobiographical records A Night for Mischief: My Life in 40 Bags (2001). Her dramatic texts were staged (Marija and the Sailor, 1960; Magareći otok, 1979). A selection from her essay texts was published in the book Unfinished Mosaic (1999). Her significant work for children is imbued with motifs from the plant and animal world and humor (Sadness and Joy of the Forest, 1958; Wise Rabbit, 1958; Golden Duck, 1959; Džingiskan the Cat and Miki Trasi, 1968; Miki – the Famous Captain, 1970; Games before storm, 1979; Through a window of winter, 1995; Lullaby for a kiss, 1997; Bee, long and mill, 1997; Three sea adventures, 2000). She translated poems from Slovenian, Bulgarian, French and German; her renditions of songs by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Heinrich Heine and Rainer Marie Rilke are particularly appreciated. She is the winner of the Goranov vijenac Award for her entire poetic work (1977) and the "Vladimir Nazor" Award for her lifetime achievement (1982). * TRANSLATED FROM this site BY ME
THREE ISLANDS
There are three islands in the midst of this sea, one more rocky than another,
one more passionate than another in cricket song and pine soughing.
The first one is a snake curled into a bowl, the second a shiny sword unsheathed from scabbard,
The third one is an open dead man treasure chest rocking on the waves.
All three cursed. All three blessed.
All three abundant in deep caves, gravel and rocky capes-
Ancient treasures of experience in tired stones, that no one still
has solved the destiny of.
All three have bitten into my soul with its stone teeth!
All three have whipped me with salt, wounded me with green rosemary.
The first is known for angry battles and red wine tanks.
The second for the sunny vastness of winter where dolphins play.
The third one, chained in white marble, grows wild sheep and trembles before death.
There are three islands in the middle of this sea. One more cursed than another,
one from another more passionate in cricket song and pine soughing.
TRI OTOKA
Tri su otoka nasred ovog mora, jedan od drugog vrletniji,
jedan od drugog pjesmom cvrčaka strasniji, šumorom borja.
Prvi je zmija u klupko savijena, drugi je sjajni mač iz korica isukan,
treći otvorena škrinja mrtvačka što ziblje se povrh valova.
Sva tri ukleta. Sva tri blagoslovljena.
Sva tri krcata dubokih špilja i šljunka, rtova stjenovitih.
Drevne riznice iskustva u umornom kamenju, koje još nitko
ne odgonetnu kob.
Sva tri su zagrizla kamenim zubima u moje srce!
Sva tri su me solju išibala, zelenim ružmarinom izranila.
Prvi je znan po ljutim bitkama i crvenim badnjevima vinskim.
Drugi po sunčanim bespućima zime na kojima se igraju
delfini.
Treći, mramorom bijelim okovan, pase divlje ovce i pred
smrću strahuje.
Tri su otoka nasred ovog mora. Jedan od drugog ukletiji,
jedan od drugog pjesmom cvrčaka strasniji, šumorom borja.
VOKABULAR:
vȑlētan
vȑlētan prid. 〈odr. -tnī〉 Definicija: koji je pun vrleti; neprohodan, strm
I WAS A BOY
The evening hid me in the moonlight,
having extinguished the candles.
All night I dreamed pondering
in an azure forest through the trees.
I was a berry of a ripe grape
in the teeth during kisses
a fox escaped from a trap
a boy that throws exclamations from a slingshot;
and a bite from a song mid forehead,
colourful cat in the basket of the game.
What I wasn’t, what I couldn’t have done,
a fish’s mirror in the pupil of an otter!
BILA SAM DJEČAK
U mjesečinu me sakrila
večer, utrnuvši svijeće.
Svu noć sam zamišljena snila
u modroj šumi kroz drveće.
Bila sam zrno rumena grožđa
u zubima sred poljubaca
lisica utekla iz gvožđa
dječak, što praćkom poklike baca;
i ujed pjesme nasred čela
šarena mačka u košari igre.
Šta nisam bila, šta nisam smjela,
zrcalo ribe u zjenici vidre!
A Man Haunted by Fire
My black lizard,
don't follow me.
Nobody must see
a hole in the vineyard
into which my song
will fade.
Čovjek kojeg progoni vatra
Moj crni gušteru
ne idi za mnom.
Nitko ne smije vidjeti
rupu u vinogradu
u kojoj će iščeznuti
moja pjesma.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF SPLIT CITY?
SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT I HAVE:
I have visited this place and blogged about it last year as well. Naturally, I visited it in passing a few times in the past. Before the new road was build, you had to drive near Klis fortress to get to Split. I remember my parents would stop their car to enjoy the view a couple of times when I was a kid. However, it is only in the recent years that I decided to explore this fortress more. I enjoyed the exploring very much as you can see.
B) ILLUSTRATED THE OUTFIT I WORE FOR THAT VISIT (SEE MORE HERE) The art brands (watercolour pencils and sketch-block) used are the same as in this post. You can buy most of my fashion illustrations here: IvanaKada.redbubble.com
In the past, I translated another poem by Vesna Parun so I'll include that one as well.
When a Bird Ceases To Love
When a bird ceases to love another bird, it doesn't tell it:
'Fly away now, thousand miles away, so that you wouldn't see
how the indifference is building up in the pupils of my eyes!'
Because the bird is not as listless as a man; for a bird distance
is merely hovering of sweet light that inflames the love.
The bird doesn't tell to another bird: 'Now hide a thousand
miles deep under the earth
so that you don't hear how I sing at sunset
a tender lullaby to another sweetheart
that lies with its beak in my lap!'
Because the bird is not as superficial as a man,
it knows that heartbeats
under the earth are heard even stronger
and instead of the calming sounds of a lullaby
the entire forest would be forced to hear
the roaring of the underground caused by the pain.
For that reason when a bird ceases to love another bird,
it stays by its side to die there in solitude.
But a human when it ceases to love another human,
in shame and confusion doesn't know what to do,
ends up running as far away from the other,
and nesting forever his sorrow in one's heart.
These are no such things as small pains. People love small pains.
They are pretty and don't hurt a lot.
If they lose them, they will easily acquire others,
even less expensive and less painful-
because the pain is numbed by experience
and too much experience is offered at fairs for next to nothing.
People love short meetings, short letters,
small events for which the meaning is not to be searched
far away in the stars or in too dangerous
and unknown regions of our soul.
But those little pains get in our flesh unnoticed
and exposed to the blade of boredom,
inside of our flesh they become our death.
and because of that number of small carcasses-
that silently rot inside of us-
the vultures howl around our houses our entire lives
and the ants play around our forehead
cut by many small screams.
So, there will be nothing to go to waste
inside of us when the big pains suddenly shake us,
coming from the great gathering of reason,
untouched by warnings.
We shall carelessly watch the ants that approach
and the huge flocks of vultures
circling us in ever lower circles
in front of our doorsteps
we shall whisper to them:
' You have nothing to search for here my friends.
there is nothing here but the image
of a dusty skeleton clothed in memories
and that one- rest assured- is not for you.
Meat ,blood and sweet orchard of heart
has been eaten away by little pains,
little by little- they ate everything to the bone
to this little lute in space, can't you see?'
There are no such things as little pains.
There are no little pains under the sun.*
*my translation
Kada ptica prestane voljeti drugu pticu
Kada ptica prestane voljeti drugu pticu, ona joj ne kaže:
"Odleti sada tisuću milja daleko, da ne bi gledala
kako se gomila ravnodušnost u mojim zjenicama!"
Jer ptica nije troma kao čovjek; daljina je za nju
lepršavnje slatke svjetlosti koja raspiraju ljubav.
Ne kaže joj: " Sada se sakrij tisuću
stopa duboko ispod zemlje,
da ne čujem kako pjevam u predvečerje
nježnu uspavanki drugoj dragani,
koja leži s kljunom u mome krilu!
Jer ptica nije površna kao čovjek;
ona zna da se otkucaju srca
pod zemljom propinju još snažnije,
i umjesto umirujućih zvukova
uspavanke cijela bi šuma morala slušati
tutnjavu podzemlja koju je izbacila bol.
Zato kad ptica prestane voljeti drugu pticu,
ostane pokraj nje da tu umre, u samoći.
Ali čovjek kad prestane voljeti drugog čovjeka,
od stida i pomutnje ne zna što bi i
bježeći sve to dalje od njega,
ugnijezdi zauvijek u svome srcu njegovu tugu.
Nema malih boli. Ljudi vole male boli.
one su lijepe, a ne bole mnogo.
Izgube li ih, priskrbiti će sebi
još manje skupe i manje bolne-
jer bol iskustvom otupljuje
a premalo iskustva nudi se na vašaru u bescijenje.
Ljudi vole kratke susrete, kratka pisma,
male doživljaje za koje ne treba tražiti
smisao daleko u zvijezdama ni previše opasnim
i nepoznatim predjelima duše.
ali te male doli uvlače se neopazice
u naše meso izvrgnuto oštrici dosade,
one postaju u njemu naša smrt.
I zbog toga broja malih lešina-
što se nečujno u nama raspadaju-
zavijaju cijelog života oko naših kuća strvinari,
a oko našeg čela izranjenog od mnoštva
malih jauka igraju se mravi.
Tako neće imati što da propadne
u nama kad nas protresu iznenadno velike boli,
proizašle iz velikih stjecišta razloga,
netaknutih opomenom.
Gledati ćemo bezbrižno mrave kako se
približuju i golema jata bjeloglavih
lešinara kako kruže u sve to nižem
luku iznad naših pragova i šaputati im:
" Nemate što tražiti ovdje, prijatelji.
tu nema više ničega osim slike
prašnog kostura ogrnuta sjećanjima,
a taj- budite sigurni- nije za vas.
Meso i krv i slatki voćnjak srca
pojedoše nam male boli
mrvicu po mrvicu- one oglodaše sve do kosti,
do ove luknje u prostoru, zar ne vidite?"
Nema malih boli.
Nema malih boli pod suncem.
Vesna Parun
Thank you for reading!
Bellos poemas. Lindos atuendos. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteBellos poemas. Lindos atuendos. Te mando un beso. https://enamoradadelasletras.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteYou look great, thanks for your sharing...
ReplyDeleteVery unique poems! So inspiring! From landscapes to the little things in life. Wonderful! Some great locations you have traveled too! Such sweet summer outfits! All the best to staying cool! I have been reading THE SPARE ROOM, a thriller by Andrea Bartz. Here's to cold brews that won't keep you at night. 💗💗💗💗💗 Thanks for your comments!
ReplyDeleteThese are very inspiring. Love the Island poetry with a bit of youth to them, as well. Also those bold pants are inspiring too. But I am not much for heels anymore. Go-Walks are my standard. Especially, working in a library.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are keeping cool this summer. Love these locations. All the best to your art and much much more to your reading list, too. Thank you so much for reading and for being here. Stay the beautiful you💕
Hey Ivana, I hope you're enjoying summertime!
ReplyDeleteI like how your recommendations are always going beyond the usual! I must admit I do not know a lot of Croatians writers so a good introduction has been made and then I can go and look for more inspiration.
Vesna Parun sounds like a really interesting profile in many aspects, thanks also for sharing a bit of the poems. I also liked how you made the layout to give it a design that is linked to the words.
And your outfits are inspiring, good to see them back :) I like how you are playing with color block in the recent years, and how your accessories are really powerful in your proposal :)
Keep hydrated and enjoy the rest of the summer!
Pablo
www.HeyFungi.com
Great Poems, thank you for posting this. You look fantastic, i love the red Shirt, it suits you very well
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely poems, very evocative. I love your turquoise necklace. Thanks, Ivana!
ReplyDeleteSummer here has not been too bad, unlike other parts of the country. I hope it is not too hot there. Yes artists are often misunderstood and communism was not very open. So lovely to translate her work. I love all you looks here and red looks super nice on you!
ReplyDeleteAllie of
www.allienyc.com
Thank you for the introduction to this poet, and your wonderful translations, Ivana! xxx
ReplyDeleteSei sempre stupenda e meravigliosa Ivana
ReplyDeleteI loved your translations! They are glorious and the figurative language within them (and how you translated them) is really beautiful. I really feel the emotions and see the colours in my mind' eye as I read them. You are a skillful translator Ivanna! I think my favourite is the 3 islands one. Your outfits are really love that accompany them too!x
ReplyDeleteThanks
Delete