“Dead Owl” by Uko Post
Uko Post, (born in the Netherlands,Meppel,27-07-1954) is a contemporary realistic painter, was trained at the academy (Minerva) of fine arts in Groningen (Netherlands) 1972-1978. He lives in Belgium (region Sankt Vith, Eifel) since 1994. Visit his website at www.ukopost.eu
Here is my poem “For the Electrocuted Owl” in original English and in French translation by Louisiana poet David Cheramie. Thrilled to have the honor of his generous artistic effort!
FOR THE ELECTROCUTED OWL POUR L’HIBOU ÉLÉCTROCUTÉ
We bend to blacktop to better see, On se penche sur le goudron pour mieux voir;
to eye the majestic— pour viser le majesteux—
And quivering with gravity Et frissonant avec la gravité
succumb to the helpless succombe à l’état
state we must suffer d’impuissance qu’on doit souffrir
when attacked by forces quand attaqué par des forces
unnamed and unknown innommées et inconnues
compelling us to stay rooted, nous obligeant de rester enraciné,
frozen, and so inescapably speak: gelé; et ainsi parler inéluctablement
O glorious; O glorieux;
splayed in moon-devotion; évasé en dévotion lunaire
night descends on silent wings; la nuit descend sur des ailes silencieuses
cream-belly angel with black ange au ventre de crème aux yeux
pearl eyes; o wind blade; de perles noires; o lame de vent
this dew is blood; this killing fire cette rosée, c’est du sang; ce feu assassin
whistles in bone; you siffle dans les os; toi
lightless dead lie in sick streams, mort sans lumière couché en rigolets malades
utterly gone. Tout à fait parti.
Clare L. Martin 