2 poems with readers (lecteurs, lectores, leitores)

Going my way - watercolor by William Eaton, 2022Short poems, somewhat odd order. First poem, Boulevard Victor Hugo (Nice) en Français, English, y Español. Second poem, It’s the thought that counts in English, Español, Português et Français.

Although the “Boulevard” poem is not at all Japanese or Japanese-y, its concision and mood was certainly influenced by my having found at a bookstore in Nice Poèmes de tous les jours, an excellent anthology of Japanese poems which includes comments by the compiler, the late Japanese poet and poetry champion Ôoka Makoto. The book, published by Piquier, is in French.

Boulevard Victor Hugo (Nice) en Français, English y Español

Boulevard Victor Hugo (Nice)

Sur un banc, sous un lampadaire,
Une femme âgée et son fils,
Un roman ouvert sur les genoux de l’homme.
Tête baissée, il lit à lui-même.
Sa mère se penche elle aussi pour lire.

Boulevard Victor Hugo (Nice)

On a bench under a street lamp
An elderly woman and her son,
A novel open on his lap.
Head bent, he reads to himself
His mother bends to read too.

Boulevard Victor Hugo (Nice)

En un banco bajo una farola
Una anciana y su hijo,
Una novela abierta en el regazo de él.
Con la cabeza inclinada, él lee para sí mismo.
Su madre también se agacha para leer.

It’s the thought that counts (in English, Español, Português et Français)

It’s the thought that counts

She was reading the first volume
Of The Second Sex
About which for three hours we talked,
Until 4 in the morning, when,
The last three buttons unbuttoned,
We did what has us both
United.

El pensamiento es lo que cuenta

Estaba leyendo el primer volumen
de El Segundo Sexo,
sobre el cual, durante tres horas hablamos,
hasta las cuatro de la mañana,
cuando los tres últimos botones desabrochados,
hicimos lo que nosotros dos
hemos unido.

O que conta é o pensamento

Eu estava a ler o primeiro volume
de O Segundo Sexo,
sobre o qual, durante três horas, falámos,
até às quatro horas da manhã,
quando os últimos três botões se desfizeram,
fizemos o que nós dois
nos unimos.

C’est la pensée qui compte

Elle lisait le premier volume
Du Deuxième sexe
A propos duquel, pendant trois heures
Nous avons parlé, jusqu’à quatre heures du matin,
Quand, les trois derniers boutons défaits,
Nous nous sommes engagés à ce qui nous deux
A, ah, uni.

— Poems and drawing by William Eaton

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