Beers&Books (434) – Franz Werfel: Masterful Tales

Franz Werfel (10 September 1890 – 26 August 1945)

Relats conjunts – Ramon Casas: Garrote vil

«Garrote vil» (Ramon Casas - 1894)

Relats conjunts

 

 "Long live cruelty and decadence!" 
Joan smirks as he counts once more the gold coins he's earned from renting out his balconies.
"Didn't I tell you there was no better place in this city to invest your money, darling?" 
"You're a genius, Joan." Smiling, Joanita steps behind him and kisses his neck. "That's precisely why I married you."
"I knew from the start that no one would want to miss such spectacles." 
"I wonder if the executioner handles the garrote any better today than he did the other day, darling?"
"I hope not! The longer the condemned person suffers, the more entertainment for the public."
"I love your pragmatism, Joan."
"And I love the sight of your breasts."
"Don't you want to attend the execution, Joan?"
"I find executions decadent. I'd rather be with you."
And with that, Joan, the philanthropist, pulls his wife onto his lap.

Monochrome Monday

...

...

Sláinte, John!

"I think technique can be taught  
but I think the only way to learn to write is to read, 
and I see writing and reading as completely related. 
One almost couldn't exist without the other."

[John McGahern, who would today celebrate his 91. birthday.]

Sláinte, John!

I don't want to hear another song ...

Seni düşünmek güzel şey,
                     ümitli şey, 
dünyanın en güzel sesinden en güzel şarkıyı dinlemek gibi bir şey. 
Fakat artık ümit yetmiyor bana,
ben artık şarkı dinlemek değil,
                   şarkı söylemek istiyorum.

[30 Eylül 1945]

*

Thinking of you is something beautiful,
                              something hopeful,
like hearing the most beautiful song from the most beautiful voice in the world.
But hope isn't enough for me anymore,
I don't want to hear another song,
                               I want to sing...

[30 September 1945]

*

An dich zu denken, ist etwas Schönes,
                    etwas Hoffnungsvolles,
als hörte man das schönste Lied der schönsten Stimme der Welt.
Aber die Hoffnung reicht mir nicht mehr,
ich will kein Lied mehr hören,
                             ich will singen...

*

Pensar en tu és quelcom bonic,
          quelcom esperançador,
com escoltar la cançó més bonica de la veu més bonica del món.
Però l'esperança ja no és suficient per a mi,
no vull escoltar cap altra cançó,
                                 vull cantar... 

Nâzım Hikmet (17 January 1902 – 3 June 1963) 

Friday is Skyday

Balcony view, westwards.

Joan Maragall: The blinded cow

As so often happens,
I spontaneously opened this new book
to 'a random' page and... read this poem several times.
Pages 36/37: La vaca sega / Die erblindete Kuh.

Beers & Books (433) – Joan Maragall: Poems

Another bilingual treasure.

Joan Maragall (10 October 1860 – 20 December 1911)

Friday is Skyday

...

Rain barrel leaves

;-)

Beers & Books (432) – Book of Absences

Buch der Abwesenheiten
& Die schönen Wege
*
Llibre d'absències
& Els bells camins

Miquel Martí i Pol (19 March 1929 – 11 November 2003)

Friday is Skyday

...

Sometimes I regret

Sometimes I regret 
having wasted so much time thinking, 
re-thinking again and again and pondering 
instead of ... writing.