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Long live life
VIVA LA VIDA! LONG LIVE LIFE!
por Francisco X. Alarcón by Francisco X. Alarcón
in xochitl in cuicatl in xochitl in cuicatl
in ixtli in yollotl in ixtli in yollotl
¡in tonatiuh in tlanextia! ¡in tonatiuh in tlan extia!
que la flor, el canto may the flower, the song
la faz reflejen el corazón the face reflecting the heart
¡brillen siempre como Sol! shine forever as Sun!
abajo las cercas down with walls
que nos separan separating us
y nos agobian and oppressing us
abajo las cercas down with fences
que arruinan paisajes ruining landscapes
y horizontes and horizons
abajo los portones down with gates
que permanecen that remain locked up
cerrados bajo llave under key
basta de cerrojos no more padlocks
aldabas, candados deadbolts, latches
postigos, cadenas bars or chains
basta de dogmas enough of dogmas
tabúes, prejuicios taboos, prejudices
y suposiciones or presumptions
basta de verdades no more half-
a medias, mentiras truths, white lies
y falsedades or falsehoods
viva el aire libre hooray free fresh
fresco sin medidor mountain and sea air
del monte, del mar without a meter
vivan los pajáros way to go birds
y las mariposas and borderless
sin fronteras butterflies
vivan los delfines bravo dolphins
que alto retozan tossing themselves high
llenos de alegría in the air out of joy
¡abajo la muerte! down with death!
¡viva la vida long live life
que a todo da vida! giving out life to all!
in xochitl in cuicatl in xochitl in cuicatl
in ixtli in yollotl in ixtli in yollotl
in tonatiuh in tlanextia! in tonatiuh in tlanextia!
que la flor, el canto may the flower, the song
la faz reflejen el corazón the face reflecting the heart
¡brillen siempre como Sol! shine forever as Sun!
Francisco X. Alarcon with his niece Itzel Alarcon
The poem was written by Francisco but with the help of Itzel Alarcón, the beloved niece of Francisco X. Alarcón.
LONG LIVE LIFE! Es lebe das Leben
por Francisco X. Alarcón by Francisco X. Alarcón
in xochitl in cuicatl in xochitl in cuicatl
in ixtli in yollotl in ixtli in yollotl
¡in tonatiuh in tlanextia! in tonatiuh in tlan extia!
que la flor, el canto möge die Blume, das Lied
la faz reflejen el corazón das Gesicht reflektierend das Herz
¡brillen siempre como Sol! für immer scheinen wie die Sonne!
abajo las cercas runter mit den Mauern
que nos separan die uns trennen
y nos agobian und uns unterdrücken
abajo las cercas weg mit Zäunen
que arruinan paisajes die die Landschaften verschandeln
y horizontes und die Horizonte
abajo los portones weg mit den Toren
que permanecen die verschlossen bleiben
cerrados bajo llave unter Schlüsselgewalt
basta de cerrojos nie mehr Schlösser
aldabas, candados Türknöpfe, Riegel
postigos, cadenas Stangen oder Ketten
basta de dogmas Genug mit den Dogmen
tabúes, prejuicios Tabus, Vorurteilen
y suposiciones oder Anmaßungen
basta de verdades keine weiteren Halb-
a medias, mentiras Wahrheiten, weisse Lügen
y falsedades oder Verfälschungen
viva el aire libre hurrah die freie frische
fresco sin medidor Berg und Meeres Luft
del monte, del mar ohne Meßgerät
vivan los pajáros wie die Vögel fliegen
y las mariposas und Grenzen-lose sein
sin fronteras wie die Schmetterlinge
vivan los delfines bravo Delphine
que alto retozan ihr springt hoch
llenos de alegría in die Luft aus Freude
¡abajo la muerte! Nieder mit dem Tod!
¡viva la vida es lebe das Leben
que a todo da vida! für jeden!
in xochitl in cuicatl in xochitl in cuicatl
in ixtli in yollotl in ixtli in yollotl
in tonatiuh in tlanextia! in tonatiuh in tlanextia!
que la flor, el canto möge die Blume, das Lied
la faz reflejen el corazón das Gesicht reflektierend das Herz
¡brillen siempre como Sol! für immer scheinen wie die Sonne!
Übersetzung ins Deutsche Hatto Fischer
Francisco X. Alarcón ¡VIVA LA VIDA! / LONG LIVE LIFE!
Translated into Greek by Yiorgos Chouliaras
[Written with the help of his beloved niece, Itzel Alarcón, Francisco had said this might be his last poem. Handed out at Cafe La Boheme, it was copied for friends who could not be present by Jack&Adelle Foley <jandafoley@sbcglobal.net>.]
ΖΗΤΩ Η ΖΩΗ!
Το τελευταίο ίσως ποίημα του FranciscoX. Alarcón
(που έγραψε με τη βοήθεια της αγαπημένης ανιψιάς του Itzel Alarcón και μοιράστηκε στο Café La Boheme, ενώ ηλεκτρονικά από τους Jack & Adelle Foley)
Απόδοση: Γιώργος Χουλιάρας
Φρανσίσκο Αλαρκόν
ΖΗΤΩ Η ΖΩΗ!
in xochitl in cuicatl
in ixtli in yollotl
¡intonatiuhintlanextia!
το άνθος, το τραγούδι
το πρόσωπο που αντανακλά την καρδιά
ας λάμπουν για πάντα ως Ήλιος!
ας γκρεμιστούν τα τείχη
που μας χωρίζουν
και μας καταπιέζουν
ας γκρεμιστούν οι φράχτες
που καταστρέφουν τοπία
και τον ορίζοντα
ας γκρεμιστούν οι πύλες
που μένουν κλειδωμένες
με κλειδιά
φτάνει πια τα λουκέτα
οι σύρτες, τα μάνταλα
οι μπάρες ή οι αλυσίδες
φτάνει πια τα δόγματα
τα ταμπού, οι προκαταλήψεις
ή οι προϋποθέσεις
φτάνει πια οι μισές
αλήθειες, οι ανακρίβειες
τα ψέματα
ζήτω ο ελεύθερος αέρας
ο καθαρός, ο απεριόριστος
του βουνού, της θάλασσας
ζωή σε σας πουλιά
και πεταλούδες
χωρίς σύνορα
ζωή σε σας δελφίνια
που πετάγεστε ψηλά
από χαρά στον αέρα
κάτω ο θάνατος!
ζήτω η ζωή
που σε όλους δίνει ζωή
in xochitl in cuicatl
in ixtli in yollotl
in tonatiuh in tlanextia!
το άνθος, το τραγούδι
το πρόσωπο που αντανακλά την καρδιά
ας λάμπουν για πάντα ως Ήλιος!
_______________________________________________________________
The Cafe La Boheme event was held in San Francisco, Sunday, 10th of January. Before the reading started inside, Aztec dancers performed in front of the cafe.
"It was very moving to hear Francisco speak his poem, "Viva la Vida": "Viva la Vida" was the theme of the reading--repeated often by Francisco.
Francisco X. Alarcon
He was in a wheelchair and appeared a little weak and perhaps in pain (at times he seemed to be grimacing) but his voice was strong. He was able to stay for a fair amount of time but had to leave before the reading ended. He explained that he couldn't begin chemotherapy until he stopped bleeding--and he had not yet stopped bleeding. He grew tired, saying he had to return home to receive some blood. Nonetheless, "Viva la Vida." Intelligent as always, positive as always, poetic as always--even at this most difficult time." - Jack Foley
At that event Jack Foley and his wife Adelle read Gabriel's poem for Francisco X. Alarcon and then Jack Foley his poem/incantation (singly written by him, but jointly read).
GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK
wrote this poem for Francisco when he came to Ireland on Gabriel's invitation and Franciso honouring all of them most beautifully with his presence.
Protective wing
for Francisco X. Alarcón
We burned sage last night
drank tequila
a sea-eagle swooped
on the soul’s ocean
carried off in its talons
the salmon of knowledge
and the firmament
this morning
is one huge wing
Gabriel Rosenstock
Gabriel Rosenstock thinks one poem is most appropriate upon hearing of the death of Francisco X. Alarcon.
But the silence in the mind
R. S. Thomas
(1913 - 2000)
But the silence in the mind
is when we live best, within
listening distance of the silence
we call God. This is the deep
calling to deep of the psalm-
writer, the bottomless ocean.
We launch the armada of
our thoughts on, never arriving.
It is a presence, then,
whose margins are our margins;
that calls us out over our
own fathoms. What to do
but draw a little nearer to
such ubiquity by remaining still?
|
Ach sa chiúnas sin san aigne is fearr i bhfad sinn, i bhfoisceacht go mbeannaí Dia dhuit den chiúnas sin ar a dtugaimid Dia. Is é seo an duibheagán ag glaoch ar an duibheagán mar do chan Dáiví, an t-aigéan gan ghrinneall ar a seoltar loingeas ár gcuid smaointe, gan dul i dtír.
Is láithreacht é mar sin arb iad a chuid imeall ár n-imill féin; a ghlaonn amach orainn os cionn ár bhfeánna. Cad atá le déanamh ach druidim níos cóngaraí don uileláithreacht sin trí bheith ciúin
|
________________________________
JACK FOLEY
AN INCANTATION FOR FRANCISCO X. ALARCÓN
by “the divine” I mean
by “the divine” I mean
the longed-for
the longed-for
utterly impossible
utterly impossible
ego-shattering
ego-shattering
irreality
irreality
Francisco,
Francisco
dear man,
dear man,
named for the great saint Francesco
named for the great saint Francesco
lover of Lady Poverty
lover of Lady Poverty
you, lover of Lady Poetry
you, lover of Lady Poetry
he, tamer of Brother Wolf
he, tamer of Brother Wolf
you, tamer of Brother Cancer
you, tamer of Brother Cancer
he, singer of the Canticle to the Sun
he, singer of the Canticle to the Sun
Altissimu, onnipotente bon Signore
Altissimu, onnipotente bon Signore
you: la luz da más luz
you: la luz da más luz
I think of you
I think of you
greeting the four directions
greeting the four directions
Tahui
Tahui
“Which way is North?”
“Which way is North?”
Which way is Love
Which way is Love
Your breath stays with me:
Your breath stays with me:
poetry is the only cure
poetry is the only cure
for the disease of life
for the disease of life
poetry is the light
poetry is the light
that is never lost
that is never lost
poetry is the soul’s
poetry is the soul’s
chemotherapy.
chemotherapy.
my love to you, my friend
my love to you, my friend
may poetry heal you
may poetry heal you
in tonatiuh in tlanextia *
light & love
by “the divine” I mean
by “the divine” I mean
the longed-for
the longed-for
utterly impossible
utterly impossible
ego-shattering
ego-shattering
irreality
irreality
Jack & Adelle Foley
****************************************************************
On 12th of January 2016, Jack/Adelle Foley wrote to Gabriel:
"Francisco said this may be his last poem. I copied it out for people who couldn't be present."
Gabriel Rosenstock replied:
"If it is, indeed, to be his last poem, Jack, he's going out in a burst of sunshine that will carry him to the heart of the eternal radiance that is in us all."
Hatto Fischer added:
"If anything is admirable in our current life, then when a poet expresses love for life, despite being himself so near to death due to cancer. Likewise Davie Bowie left a master piece of music behind when he bade farewell to his wife whom he loved ever since he set eyes on her.
Most telling in these difficult times is when the language of life does prevail, and not the embrace of death. We have that deadily message once again today. A suicide bomber blew himself up in Istanbul and took with him ten innocent lives whom he never knew. As was the case just recently in Paris on Nov. 13th, and by now in so many other places, it seems those who are really cowards wish to send a deliberate message written solely with the dark ink of death. They should take note of what the poem of Francisco entails, for real courage is to live and not to resign (Albert Camus)."
---------------------------------------------
The two Franciscos
Francisco X. Alarcon by Francisco Aragon
"Why am I invoking Ireland? Because one of Alarcón’s most memorable experiences as a poet was a reading tour he gave in Ireland in the early 90s to read from the Irish-language edition of Body in Flames. The poet/translator Gabriel Rosenstock came upon our Chronicle Books volume and was inspired to produce a tri-lingual version of it, relying on my English versions to render Alarcón’s signature slender poems into Irish. Jack and Adelle Foley, last Sunday at La Boheme, movingly read Rosenstock’s brief tribute to Alarcón, sent from Ireland. I’ve had the pleasure of breaking bread with Rosenstock, in Dublin, a number of times—with Francisco X. Alarcón, as always, serving, in absencia, as our puente, our bridge."
Francisco Aragon
__________________________________________________________________
15.1.2016
· Long Beach ·
Fly freely my love! May the angels inspire more poetry and the children on earth serve as your transcriber.
Poemas y mariposas
con alas sobrevuelan
cualquier frontera
Poems and butterflies
have wings to fly over
border and divide
__________________________________________________________________
Responses to the news of the death of Francisco X. Alarcon
16.1.2016
Ohh sorry to hear this news, hope he is in a place in his new life! Bests
Paul M Blackman.
--
Dear all, I will read Francisco X. Alarcon' s poems with my students at The Sinopoulos Coundation! Best to you all and especially to my dear friend Hatto, Liana Sakelliou
Poetess, Prof. at Athens University
www.aformes.enl.uoa.gr
http://www.ratisaxena.com
www.kritya.in
http://www.krityapoetryfestival.com
In memory of Francisco X. Alarcon
Asound
we weather all kinds of storms
but once midnight strikes
we leave
silently by the backdoor of life
and leave behind
a sign of how we lived
whether now
backward or forward
does not matter
since all it takes
is for a poem
about days, weeks, months, years
to become a leave
floating down
when autumn comes.
--------------------------------------------------
Dear friends,
I did not have the pleasure to know Francisco Alarcón personally, but I read this morning the poetry selection Flowers and Songs Gabriel Rosenstock sent. The deepest, the most poetic homage one could create for a deceased poet. Excellent poetry. I could not stop reading till I had read the last verse.
Excellent English translation as well.
May I join with this short poem the tribute to Francisco Alarcón, a colorful butterfy without borders, neither from this nor from the other world. His verses will remain.
Germain Droogenbroodt
Giacomo Manzù
THERE IS a time
when the soul descends
into the depths
of being
there to rest
in the never ending destiny
of eternity.
***
HAY UN TIEMPO en que el alma desciende
a lo más profundo
del ser
para descansar en él
de su nunca acabado destino
de eternidad.
Germain Droogenbroodt
from: Amanece el cantor – The Singer awakes
-------------------------------------------------
Blanka Amezkua
Mexican artist
----------------------------------------------------
18.1.2016
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