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December - poetry and Stamps

From the original Art on Stamps archive

Si mâna fotoliul spre soba,
La horn sã ascult vijelia,
Sau zilele mele -- totuna --
As vrea sã le-nvat simfonia.

Mademoiselle Lavergne, by J.-F. Liotard
Winter, by Alfred Sysley
Let me aproach, by Vereshchagin
In Winter, by Georges Breitner

Mai spune s-aduca si ceaiul,
Si vino si tu mai aproape;
-- Citeste-mi ceva de la poluri,
Si ninga... zapada ne-ngroape.

Ce cald e aicea la tine.
Si toate din casa mi-s sfinte;
-- Te uita cum ninge decembre...
Nu râde... citeste inainte.

E ziua si ce intuneric...
Mai spune s-aduca si lampa --
Te uita, zapada-i cât gardul,
Si-aprins promoroaca si clampa.

Eu nu mã mai duc azi acasa...
Potop e-napoi si nainte,
Te uita cum ninge decembre,
Nu râde... citeste înainte.

And bring the armchair near to the fire
I will listen to the storm in the chimney,
Or my days - no matter -
I wish to learn their symphony.

Also ask her to bring the tea
And also come nearer;
Read me something from the poles,
And let it snow... the snow shall bury us.

How warm it is here at yours
And all the things in the house are sacred to me;
Look how December is snowing...
Don't laugh... read ahead.

It is still day and what a darkness...
Also ask her to bring the lamp --
Look, the snow is as high as the fence,
And the frost has stiked the door handle.

I'll not go home today any more...
There is flood back and forth,
Look how December is snowing...
Don't laugh... read ahead.

Taiwan, 1985, The Book of Odes, Confucius, Winter
Romania, 1975. Winter in Barbizon, by I . Andreescu
Taiwan, 1983, Sung Dynasty Poetry, Yielding Fine Fragrance in the Snow

Când îmi lipsesti
Si nu vin vesti.
Când vântu' alungã frunze moarte
Si esti atâta de departe...

Când râsul tãu a încetat
Si rândunelele-au plecat
Decembre fioros sã cerne
Si-n valuri, valuri s-o asterne
Pe somnul meu cel plumburiu...
Jumate mort, jumate viu.

When I miss you
And no news arrive.
When the wind chases the dead leafs
And you are so far away...

When your laughter stopped
And the swallows went away
December should fiercely sift
And lay it down in waves, waves
On my lead-gray sleep...
Half dead, half alive.

Written by the author of this site, Victor Manta. The definitive version published the 27th of Decembre 1998.

Japan, 1997. Hodogaya, 53 Stations of Tokaido, by Hiroshige Ando
Japan, 1997. Kameyama, 53 Stations of Tokaido, by Hiroshige Ando
Japan, 1997. Snow View from the Sumida River, by Hiroshige Ando
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