http://www.townx.org/blog/elliot/memory-france-paul-celan Comments for "Memory of France by Paul Celan" en http://www.townx.org/blog/elliot/memory-france-paul-celan <p>A poem I come back to all the time. Superficially simple, but with such clear, painstaking and vivid imagery; I love the gentle falling rhythm in the lines towards the end of the poem, how each line pivots around its centre. Shame I can't really appreciate it in French.</p> <p><hr/></p> <p>Together with me recall: the sky of Paris, that giant autumn crocus...<br /> We went shopping for hearts at the flower girl's booth:<br /> they were blue and they opened up in the water.<br /> It began to rain in our room,<br /> and our neighbour came in, Monsieur Le Songe, a lean little man.<br /> We played cards, I lost the irises of my eyes;<br /> you lent me your hair, I lost it, he struck us down.<br /> He left by the door, the rain followed him out.<br /> We were dead and were able to breathe.</p> http://www.townx.org/blog/elliot/memory-france-paul-celan#comments misc Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:38:19 -0600 elliot 704 at http://www.townx.org