Thought for the Day (August 3)

Subject: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 09:44 AM

One of the great poems of Spain, and summer -- (much more delicious in Spanish, but pretty good in English) --

THE SIESTA

If anyone should ask me, when I reach the secret place: What is the earth?
I would say -- it is a place where it is cold, where the strong man oppresses and the weak man weeps;
and where, like a shadow, injustice goes with open cloak, gathering the rich man's penny and the tragedy of all those past all hope, a craggy place.
But I would also say that at other times when summer arrives,
and countries seem to lie in the somnolence of those not knowing why they are tired,
a blue sky pulsates above, hallucinatory, and fruit succeeds fruit on white tables,
and the great windows, ajar, are cool in the half-light, and we seek a corner where we can give ourselves to that sweet heaviness
-- then indeed I should say that the earth is an irreplaceable good, a happy flowing, an inward prompting.
Like an unprecedented temptation, composed of ardour and temptation, a pleasant immersion, a slow love-potion.
--("Si alguien me preguntara cuando un dia" --Juan Gil-Albert).

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 09:56 AM

as always, Pete, I can't compete for profundity but you always spark off a thought. In this case I asked Greek friends if there was a Greek equivalent for manana. "Nothing that conveys the same sense of urgency" I was told. I'm all for the siesta catching on outside S. Europe!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 02:29 PM

y tu, estimado Peter T.....traduciste el poema tambien?

saludos, Neil

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 02:33 PM

No such skill with Spanish, Neil. I should have said it was from J.M. Cohen's Penguin Book of Spanish Verse, but forgot. I should also have posted the Spanish, but ran out of time to do all those accents. It is August; I am getting really lazy.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 02:43 PM

no apology necessary, dog days and all: I understand...no problemo Beautiful poem, I would think, in any language. Thank you.

Regards, Neil

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: Llanfair
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 03:35 PM

Thank you, Peter, that was lovely. Hwyl, Bron.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 3)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 06:06 PM

The cyber equivalent of manana is the software company's promise:
Real Soon, Now