A translation — The Book and America translated by Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU

This is a shared piece of historical Poetry translated by my friend and esteemed Poet, Andre Bendavi ben-YEHU ... https://allpoetry.com/Andre_ben-YEHU .., Please do enjoy!

A translation -- The Book and America

The Book and America (Translation)

 

 

For new time greatly conceived,

To rise, to dream and grow

The muscles of the New World

Feel the glory of the future...

A statuary of colossus!

Selecting sketches, Creator 

Decided to out do His marvels:

“Columbus, open the curtain

Of my eternal workshop...

Get America out of there!”

 

Like the sea’s commander Triton,

Still wet from the Deluge time,

The great continent awakens

In universal concert.

Many -- bring you the arts of Europe,  

Others -- berries of Ceylon...    

From the troop of the oceans

And solid petrified Andes,

Whose most reverent raised arms,

Point you to the spacious skies.

 

Looking around then you chant:

"Everything goes!... O great God!

The water falls -- for the land,

The brilliance of stars -- to the skies.

From the pole over the plains,

Your flock of winds’ multitudes

Will calm the tumultous sea...

Oh, Lord! Let me march with winds,

With the world’s planets and stars!”

The given consent was: "March!" 

 

"March!... But how should I? From Greece

In the Doric Parthenons

A thousand gods spirits raising

A thousand marmoreal Pantheons?...

To march valiant with Rome’s sword,  

-- Redheaded lioness coma

Of huge prey on the floor,

Satiating the deep hatred. . . --

With claws in the hands of the world,

And sharp teeth within the heart?...

 

Marching, but like Germany

In her feudal tyranny,

Raising a mountain of stone

In each of her cathedrals?...

No! Not temples made of bones,

Nor decrees to dig new fossils

Are actions to prod progress...

There cries Caesar, august, dying:

"In the gladiators’ fight

Always only future wins!"

 

Oh, sons of the time of light,

Blessed children of the Great Nation!

When you show yourself to God,

You will have a book in hand:

The book -- this bold warrior

Who conquers the whole world

Without ever having guns...

Sage sublime bird of new thoughts,

Which left the cage of the winds --

And to the freedom’s land flew...

 

For destiny and fate's will,

Those that descend from heavens,

The era that saw Columbus

Saw Johannes Guttenberg...

In his workshop of true labor,

This skilled worker of Deutchsland

Created the bird of press...

The Genovese sails the seas... 

Seeks for nests on the palm groves 

And the land of the press found...

 

Therefore, with the impatience

Of Man's thirst for truth and skill, 

-- Like the birds of the desert --

The souls fly while seek to drink...

Oh, blissed is the one who sows

Handful art rolls of free Scrolls,

And invites people to learn!  

A book, -- shadow of soul's tree

Is knowledge rain filling seas; --

A fruit nourishing discern!

 

The temple of ideas now      

You open to multitudes,

For a luminous baptism

Of the major revolutions;

As the new iron train whistles  

To wake up panthers on the hill;

Amazing youth and all learners,

Like a magic king of the winds;

The knight rider of the thoughts,

And herald of the great light! 

 

Courageous to save the future 

Fecundating creative brains...

-- In an edifying poem --

No nation will ever die. 

Dreaming to light the New World

In a command of Phoebus...

Each line gloriously voiced:  

“Light be in the plains and hills...

For when the light rolls on earth,

God reaps geniuses in heaven!...”

 

 

 

 

By Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU:  https://allpoetry.com/Andre_ben-YEHU 

 

 

 

N.B.: This is a translation from the original "O Livro e a América", by Poet Antonio Frederico de Castro Alves.

 

The original poem can be read in this link:

http://www.blocosonline.com.br/literatura/poesia/pndp/pndp010701.htm

 

And a detailed note on this translation can be read on this link:  http://allpoetry.com/column/13663663- 

© 4 years ago, Andre Emmanuel Bendavi Benyehu    history • humanity • inspirational • society   

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