Poems from the Ancient Egyptian

Poems from the Ancient Egyptian

During the New Kingdom (1567-332 BCE), a poetry of intense feeling developed in Egypt, most of it in the form of love poems. Whole series of love poems have come down to us, sometimes linked together in the form of dialogue, ‘the ebb and flow of impressions counting infinitely more that external facts.’[1] The context of the following fragmentary, Egyptian lyrics, many of which were intended to be sung to melodies now unfortunately lost to us, is obscure, as are many lines of the text itself, hitherto untranslated. However, we may tentatively reconstruct their setting as follows: A poet of the XXXth dynasty (c.330 BCE)[2] becomes aware, thanks to a dream vouchsafed to him by a goddess when recovering from a severe illness, that he is a reincarnation of a general who had lived nearly three millennia earlier, during the 1^st Dynasty (c.3100-2980 BCE). On awakening, he realized that his present wife had also been his wife in that past life. Thanking the gods for this revelation, he is moved to pour out his feelings into songs:

He returns to his wife:[3]

After twenty-seven centuries

Of dust and darkness

Blown like a leaf

From life to life,

I rise at last

To bathe again in the clear pools of your eyes,

Pure as Nile water,

Where the holy ibis bathes at dawn,

Veiled with the storm clouds of your hair.

He recalls his dying vow to rejoin her.

My wound

Burnt like the sacred fire of the Magi.

Upon your skin

Cool as the water lily,

White as papyrus,

I wrote in my heart’s blood:

‘Death shall not part us.’

He recalls her mourning for him.

As the sacred Nile in flood,

Or salt waves of the Great Green[4],

So were the tears of blood,

You shed for me, unseen[5].

On his death-bed, he knew they were to be parted for centuries for offending the gods.

Dying, I glimpsed you in some far-off life,

And kissed your eyelids shut, tasting your tears.

The gods are cruel! We who were ever one

Stretch out vain hands across the gulf of years.

He swears his love is eternal

Like Seti, the great lion

I led to battle before my high-plumed captains,

My passions slumbered.

Tread softly, Nofret![6]

Devouring time shall never blunt those paws.

He implored the Goddess to grant them rebirth together.

As the fallen obelisk

Of a vanquished god

Lies whelmed in sand,

So slept our love

For endless centuries,

Raise it anew, O Hathor![7]

Great goddess, grant us life.

Their undying love for each other has finally brought them together.

As monkeys sport

Upon the islands of the Cataract,

So leapt my heart

To hear your gentle feet upon my stairs.

Seeing your penitent tears bathe my face,

The gods were merciful, and granted grace.

---

[1] Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, Macmillan Press, London and Basingstoke, 1975, 214a. Several excellent translations of these love poems are extant, among which we may single out B. de Rachewiltz, Liriche Amorose degli antiche Egiziani, Roma, 1955 and G. Nolli, Canti d’amore dell’antico Egitto, Napoli, 1959.

[2] The XXXth Dynasty was extinguished by Alexander III of Macedonia (Alexander the Great) in 332 BCE.

[3] The titles have been appended for clarification and are not a feature of the original.

[4] The Mediterranean.

[5] Because his eyes were already closing in death.

[6] His wife.

[7] Goddess of love and beauty.

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

Cen Can - Seeing off District Officer Chang on his Way to the Southern Sea

From the Chinese of Cen Can 

Seeing off District Officer Chang on his Way to the Southern Sea [i]

You never wanted to be District Officer in Nan-hai

But you had aged parents to think of.

Towns and terraces miraged by sea-serpents’ breath! [ii]

Mermen living in villages with the peasants! [iii]

Sea darkens as Three Mountains drizzle, [iv]

Flowers brighten the Five Peaks in spring. [v]

That region abounds in precious jade,

Let not it lure you from pure poverty.

---

[i] Though Chang is unknown to us, he was taking up a senior post (9^th degree, 4^th class).

[ii] A popular superstition.

[iii] Mermen could live on land. Their tears were pearls.

[iv] Hills outside Canton, namely Mt. Fan, Mt Yu and Mt Yao.

[v] Five Peaks – also in Guandong.

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

Cen Can - Sent to Left Imperial Ommissioner Du

From the Chinese of Cen Can

Sent to Left Imperial Ommissioner Du [i]

Walking together, we hasten to the Cinnabar Steps,[ii]

Divided offices separated by the Purple Palace.

At dawn, we follow the Imperial Guard,

At dusk, we return, trailing imperial perfume.[iii]

Our white hair is saddened by falling blossoms,

Our green clouds envy the flying birds.[iv]

This wise court leaves nothing for us to correct,

We feel there are few remonstrances to send.

---

[i] Cen’s friend, the great poet Du Fu (712-770), held this office (5^th degree, 4^th class). In 757, Cen Can himself held the post of Right Omissioner (7^th degree, 3^rd class).

[ii] The steps of the palace.

[iii] From their work in the palace, where the incense scented their clothes.

[iv] ‘Green clouds’ – a metaphor for ambition. ‘Our ambition has robbed us of our freedom even as our advanced age makes us aware of the spring days we are missing through our work.’

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

Cen Can - Along with Gao Shi and Xue Ju I climb the pagoda of the Ci-en Monastery

From the Chinese of Cen Can

Along with Gao Shi and Xue Ju, I climb the pagoda of the Ci-en Monastery [i]

The pagoda seems to leap into the air

Rising alone to touch the palace of heaven.

Climbing, we look down on the world left behind,

Stone steps coiling up into the void.

Soaring on high, it dominates the capital.[ii]

Tall and impressive, like the word of demons.

Its four corners hinder the bright sun,

Its seventh storey brushes the blue vault.[iii]

Looking down, we point to high-flying birds,

Leaning over the edge, we listen to the startling wind.

Mountain ranges like waves and billows

Seem to be rushing to the eastern sea.

Green pines border the imperial highway,[iv]

How clear and bright stand the palace halls!

Colours of autumn approach us from the west,

Yellow-green hues filling the Passes.[v]

Five Mausoleums on the eastern plain[vi]

So ancient they are whelmed in greenery.

Buddha’s Truths may be clearly understood,

I shall ever respect my karma as my teacher.[vii]

I’ve vowed to hang up my hat and disappear,[viii]

Realize the Way and gain undying merit.

---

[i] Probably written in the Autumn of 752. The pagoda, close to a hundred metres in height, built by the Tang Emperor Gao in 652 in honour of his mother, is still standing in Xi-an.

[ii] Literally ‘Shen-zhou’, ‘the Province of Spirits’. The name emphasizes the numinous qualities of the building.

[iii] An extra two stories had been added to the pagoda in 701.

[iv] The road along which the emperor travelled to the palace. This was originally (during Qin) fifty paces wide and bordered with green pines to symbolize constancy and long life.

[v] The territory around the capital.

[vi] The tombs of five Han emperors which stood north of the Wei river.

[vii] My translations of this line is somewhat tentative. However, the general purport of the lines is clear enough. He turns away from the scenery to reflect on his position as a visitor to the monastery, realising that the Way he seeks cannot be found through his official career. His karma is to renounce the world and become a monk.

[viii] His official cap.

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

In the Antioch Suburbs

 In the Antioch Suburbs

(From the Greek of C.P.Cavafy)

That day in Antioch we were quite stunned

To learn of Julian’s latest escapade

At Daphne, we were told, Apollo spoke,

Declaring he’d vouchsafe no oracle

(‘So what? Who gives a damn?’ was our response)

Nor speak prophetically unless his shrine,

His Daphne temple, first was purified,

Since those entombed there had unsettled him.

Among those buried lay our Vavylas,

A holy martyr, glory of our church.

The false god feared him, hinted he must go,

Such being the power of our Christian saints

That pagan gods dare not so much as speak,

Let alone prophesy, while they are near.

So Julian, that pagan, lost his cool,

Into a rage he flew, started to shout

“Get rid of these old bones, your Vavylas!

Dig him up! Out with him! At once I say!

Damned Galileans! Take your saint away!

I wear the purple! Tremble and obey!

Bury him anywhere except round here!

Apollo bids me purify his shrine!”

We disinterred the blessed relic fast,

Bore it away, sepulchred lovingly.

Now look how well the temple’s done since then!

The following night, a raging fire broke out

Burning both shrine and idol to the ground

Apollo’s ashes dumped into a bin.

Julian erupted! Spread the story round

That evil Galileans had done this deed.

Let him rant on! He’s not a shred of proof.

We won! We made the bastard hit the roof!

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

Dead Leaves (Les feuilles mortes)

Dead Leaves (Les feuilles mortes)

Jacques Prevert & Joseph Kosma, 1943

Now here’s a song that’s like us lovers,

For I loved you and you loved me.

We lived together like true lovers,

And loved each other, passionately.

But life parts all those who love each other,

So softly and so silently,

And the footprints of these parted lovers

Dissolve forever in the sea.

C’est une chanson qui nous resemble,

Toi, tu m’aimais et je t’aimais,

Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble,

Toi qui m’aimais, moi qui t’aimais.

Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s’aiment

Tout doucement, sans faire du bruit,

Et la mer efface sur le sable

Les pas des amants désunis. 

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

Canberra Winter: Adapted from the Russian

Canberra Winter: Adapted from the Russian

She’s keeping me waiting

On this icy street-corner.

Freezing in a phone booth,

Coatless, coughing, shivering,

Dyed blonde with a pinched face,

Teen-aged, unkempt,

Hoarse with long pleading,

Thin shoulders shaking,

Arguing with silence

 - Cold, black receiver -

Stumbles out, clumsily,

Red-eyed, unseeing.

Young belly swollen,

Bare legs blue-veined.

Hard frost has gripped her,

Black ice of rejection.

Winter freezes her tears;

Something in her must die.

I finish my phone call,

Stirred by cheap scent.

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM

Epigram: Hades

Epigram: Hades

When Iris, earthly race now done

Stood pensive on that Stygian shore,

Her dark eyes, radiant as the sun,

Made surly Charon drop his oar.

[A free translation from the Greek of the minor Roman poet, Flavius Claudius Julianus, 'Iris mea mortua erat' ...etc]

COPYRIGHT (C) 2010 J D FRODSHAM