Une âme en incandescence

Un peu de poésie pour le mois américain avec Emily Dickinson, que j'avais très envie de lire depuis ma lecture de Bobin. Dans cette édition, beaucoup de poèmes, classés par carnets, quelques notes et une intro qui nous donne quelques infos sur la poétesse. Les thématiques sont variées : états de l'âme, états de la nature, observations, spiritualité... il y a tellement de choses dans sa poésie, les choses de la vie de tous les jours - les carnets proposés ici datent essentiellement de 1861-1863. C'est une version bilingue, que j'ai eu la joie de parcourir en français ou en anglais selon les poèmes. J'en ai glané pas mal !

228

Blazing in Gold - and

Quenching-in Purple!

Leaping-like Leopards-in the sky-

Then-at the feet of the old Horizon-

Laying it's spotted face - to die!

 

Stooping as low as the kitchen window-

Touching the Roof-

And tinting the Barn-

Kissing it's Bonnet to the Meadow-

And the Juggler of Day - is gone!

509

If anybody's friend be dead

It's sharpest of the theme

The thinking how they walked alive -

At such and such a time -

 

Their costume, of a Sunday,

Some manner of the Hair -

A prank nobody knew but them

Lost, in the Sepulchre -

 

How warm, they were, on such a day,

You almost feel the date -

So short way off it seems -

And now - they're Centuries from that -

 

How pleased they were, at what you said -

You try to touch the smile

And dip your fingers in the frost -

When was it - Can you tell -

 

You asked the Company to tea -

Acquaintance - just a few -

And chatted close with this Grand Thing

That don't remember you -

 

Past Bows, and Invitations -

Past Interview, and Vow -

Past what Ourself can estimate -

That - makes the Quick of Woe!

 

670

One need not be a Chamber - to be Haunted -

One need not be a House -

The Brain has Corridors - surpassing

Material Place -

 

Far safer of a Midnight - meeting

External Ghost -

Than an Interior - Confronting -

That cooler - Host.

 

Far safer, through an Abbey – gallop -

The Stones a'chase -

Than Moonless - One's A'self encounter --

In lonesome place -

 

Ourself - behind Ourself - Concealed -

Should startle - most -

Assassin - hid in our Apartment -

Be Horror's least -

 

The Prudent - carries a Revolver -

He bolts the Door -

O'erlooking a Superior Spectre -

More near -

677

To be alive - is Power -

Existence - in itself -

Without a further function -

Omnipotence - Enough -

 

To be alive - and Will!

'Tis able as a God -

The Maker - of Ourselves - be what -

Such being Finitude!

783

The Birds begun at Four o'clock -

Their period for Dawn -

A Music numerous as space -

But neighboring as Noon -

 

I could not count their Force -

Their Voices did expend

As Brook by Brook bestows itself

To multiply the Pond.

 

Their Witnesses were not -

Except occasional man -

In homely industry arrayed -

To overtake the Morn -

 

Nor was it for applause -

That I could ascertain -

But independent Ecstasy

Of Deity and Men -

 

By Six, the Flood had done -

No Tumult there had been

Of Dressing, or Departure -

And yet the Band was gone -

 

The Sun engrossed the East -

The Day controlled the World -

The Miracle that introduced

Forgotten, as fulfilled.