George Bacovia

(Romania, 1881-1957)
Two poems in translation by David Hill and in the original Romanian

Late echo

Late night, the sound of dulcimers …
Cabaret of the folk -
The women roared false drunkenness
Through aromatic smoke.

And there were papers, there were events
Of serious times, times of dismay -
The shady suspects of cabaret …
And there were papers, there were events.

Late night, the sound of dulcimers …
Cabaret of the folk -
The women roared false drunkenness
Through aromatic smoke.

Ecou târziu

Sunau tambale, târzia noapte …
De cabaret comun -
Femei racneau betia falsa
Prin miros de tutun.

Erau ziare, evenimente
De vremuri grave, sau de regret -
Suspecte umbre be cabaret…
Erau ziare, evenimente.

Sunau tambale, târzia noapte …
De cabaret comun -
Femei racneau betia falsa
Prin miros de tutun.

Sic transit …

I

There, where there is no one,
Not even shadows,
there to where
multitudes of years go,
and the din of the day,
and the silence of the night …
Where all things are known …
There, say travelers,
Only outbursts of fire
Denounce themselves
dismally, metallically,
From minute to minute.
There, where there is no one
and no more need
For any words.

II

And look, we've been surprised by evening,
Which is nothing by day.
Just like
So many times before.
Tales …
of work,
Leisure,
the banquet in the shadows,
Or a time of happiness.
And look, we've been surprised by evening,
which is nothing by day.

Sic transit…

I

Acolo, unde nu-i nimeni,
Nici umbre,
unde se duc
Multime de ani,
Si zgomotul zilei,
Si tacerea noptii…
Unde toate sunt stiute…
Acolo, spun calatorii,
Ca numai rafale de foc
Se denunta
Lugubru, metalic,
Din minut în minut.
Acolo, unde nu-i nimeni,
Si nu mai trebuie
Nici un cuvânt.

II

Si iata, ne-a surprins seara
Peste zi nefiind nimic.
La fel
Ca de atâtea ori.
Povesti …
de munca,
Lene,
banchetul din umbra,
Sau timp de fericire.
Si iata, ne-a surprins seara,
Peste zi nefiind nimic.

George Bacovia (real name Gheorghe Vasiliu) was born in 1881 in Bacău, eastern Romania, and spent much of his life in the capital, Bucharest. He was an acclaimed and popular poet within his lifetime, his six collections being published in several thousand copies. He studied law, but never practiced it, instead holding various clerical positions and spending some time as a design teacher. He died in 1957.