"Za trochu lásky šel bych svĕta kraj,
šel s hlavou odkrytou a šel bych bosý,
šel v ledu – ale v duši vĕčný máj,
šel vichřicí – však slyšel zpívat kosy,
šel pouští – a mĕl v srdci perly rosy.
Za trochu lásky šel bych svĕta kraj,
jak ten, kdo zpívá u dveří a prosí."
šel s hlavou odkrytou a šel bych bosý,
šel v ledu – ale v duši vĕčný máj,
šel vichřicí – však slyšel zpívat kosy,
šel pouští – a mĕl v srdci perly rosy.
Za trochu lásky šel bych svĕta kraj,
jak ten, kdo zpívá u dveří a prosí."
As kids, we were forced to learn quite a few poems that did not and could not make any sense to us. Like the one about postbox, that I accidentaly remember today while walking Baba. After all those years, it finally popped in.
Made me recall one day, when our Literature teacher came with an offer: "you need to learn (memorize actually) one of Jaroslav Vrchlický's poems". There were two to choose from. One about love (7 lines), and one about winter (52 somewhat shorter lines). Of course everyone's choice was the incomprehensive short thing. Just me and my best friend were taken by a fairytale-like poem about a magician's journey along the world... ...made perfect sense at that time.
As for today, it still does. Learning poems is a piece of cake once you get to understand them.
Anyway. Here goes a translation (collective work)
For a little bit of love I would have walked to the other end of the world,
I would have walked with uncovered head and barefoot,
I would have walked through the ice yet there would be May in my soul,
I would have walked through the storm yet i would hear the blackbirds singing,
I would have walked accross the desert, yet in my heart there would be pearls of dew.
For a little bit of love i would have walked to the other end of the world,
like he who sings at the doorstep, beseeching.
1 comment:
The postbox, the one in the corner of the street, that one is not an ordinary thing.
It blossoms blue.
People do respect it. People entrust themselves to it.
People throw their letters into it from both the two sides.
The letters are as white as a (a subtle white dust like substance), and are waiting for trains, ships, and men... to carry them far, just like bumblebee or wind would do...
far there, where hearts are waiting. Hearts alike red flower stigmas hidden in pink petals.
When the letter lands, they will grow fruits. Sweet or bitter.
I wish I had a translation for this one.
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