I loved this poem by Miller Fernandes and the translation by E. Landers...I have never thought there was a poem written about translators
So I thought u may like or u liked it as well:
La Derniere Translation
by Miller Fernandes
When an old translator dies
Does his soul, alma, anima,
Free now of its wearisome craft
Of rendering
Go straight to heaven, ao ceu,
al cielo, au ciel, zum Himmel,
Or to the hell- Holle - of the great
traditori?
Or will a translator be considered
In the minute hierarchy of the divine
(himmlisch)
Neither fish, nor water, ni poisson ni l'eau
Nem agua, nempeixe, nichts, assolutamente
niente?
What of the essential will this
mere intermediary of semantics, broker
of the universal Babel, discover?
Definitive communication, without words?
Once again the first word?
Will he learn, finally!,
Whether HE speaks Hebrew
Or Latin?
Or will he remain infinitely
In the infinite
Until he hears the Voice, Voz, Vaix, Voce,
Stimme, Vox,
Of the Supreme Mystery
Coming from beyond
Flying like a birdpassarouccelopajarovogel
Addressing him in ...
And giving at last
The translation of Amen?
- translated from Brazilian Portuguese by Clifford E. Landers
So what do you think? where does a translator go when s/he dies?
