D'UN VANNEUR DE BLÉ AUX
VENTS		THE WINNOWER TO THE
WINDS
Joachim du Bellaytr. James Kirkup (tanka)
A vous troppe legere,
Qui d'aele passagere
Par le monde volez,
Et d'un sifflant murmure
L’ombrageuse verdure
Doulcement esbranlez,

J'offre ces violettes,
Ces lis et ces fleurettes,
Et ces roses icy,
Ces vermeillettes roses,
Tout freschement écloses,
Et ces oeilletz aussi.

De vostre doulce halaine
Eventez ceste plaine,
Eventez ce sejour:
Ce pendant que j'ahanne
A mon blé, que je vanne
A la chaleur du jour.
To you, lightfoot throng
that upon airy pinions
fly around the world
and with a whistling murmur
gently stir the shady leaves -

I make offering
of these violets, lilies,
and these roses here,
marvellous roses freshly
opened, and these sweet pinks too,

that with your soft breath
you sweep this plain, sweeping this
abode of men, while
I, panting, winnow my corn
in the heat of noonday suns.
Click here 3 for another translation of this poem.
Trans. Copyright © James Kirkup 2002 







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