Plamen Press launches its Translation of the Week (Literature from Central, Eastern or Southeastern Europe translated into English). Our first posting is Rachelle from Vítězslav Nezval’s collection of poems Farewell and a Handkerchief – Poems on the Road. This collection renders Nezval’s travels to Austria, France and Italy in 1933. Nezval returned that year to Czechoslovakia and with artist Karel Teige founded the only official Surrealist movement outside of France.
Rachelle
I’m just too tired, Rachelle,
But we’ll make do on this narrow bench
Take my hand, and go to sleep
We may as well be friends
I’m just too tired, Rachelle,
And soon you’ll ride another train
Sleep childlike, deathlike on this bench
Our time was not in vain
I’m just too tired, Rachelle
Like your ancient vilified race
Like my aging cathedral bells
Like poetry, like grace
Like laughter and like hell
I’m just too tired, Rachelle
Translated from the Czech by Roman Kostovski
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Published by rikost68
Roman Kostovski has a B.A. in Russian Language and International Relations from the College of William and Mary, and an M.A. in Russian Language and Linguistics from the University of Maryland. He also holds a Lecturer of Czech Certification from Charles University in Prague. He has taught Czech at George Washington University and worked as a Central and Southeastern European Media Analyst at Georgetown University. He translates poetry and prose from Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, and Slovak into English. His translations have appeared in numerous journals, including Absinthe-New European Writings and Watchword Press. His translation of Arnost Lustig’s Porgess was published by Northwestern University Press in 2006, and his translation of Viktor Dyk’s Czech classic The Ratcatcher was published by Plamen Press in 2014. He founded Plamen Press in 2013, a print-on-demand publishing house for the promotion of literature from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe throughout the English-speaking world. He works and resides in Washington, D.C.
