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from Part IV - The Years after 1945
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2018
Prière
Seigneur, donnez-moi la peine
Seigneur, donnez-moi la peine
et qu'elle fructifie en moi pour s'ouvrir à la peine
de tous les hommes du monde
Seigneur ouvrez-moi à la peine
enfouissez-la en moi
pour que demain elle sourde en palpable inquiétude
Seigneur faites que chaque minute de mon devenir
soit un déchirement
et le rappel constant de votre grâce
et le rappel certain de ma juste misère
Seigneur ouvrez-moi à la peine et ce soir et demain
Au nom des gueux du monde
ne m’épargnez point.
1952Prayer
Lord, give me pain
Lord, give me pain
and let it flourish in me so it opens up to the pain
of all the men on earth
Lord open me up to the pain
bury it in me
so that tomorrow it wells up in me in palpable fear
Lord let every minute of my becoming
be a rending
and the constant reminder of your grace
and the certain reminder of my just misery
Lord open me up to pain and tonight and tomorrow
In the name of all the beggars on earth
spare me nothing.
1952—Translated by Donna StonecipherCe visage en moi
la mort a son visage en moi
présence justifiée de promiscuité douce
crépuscules brûlés sans une seule aurore
frissons assassinés à fleur de cicatrice
la mort a son visage en moi
et la nuit et le jour ce visage m'interpelle
c'est mêlée a mon souffle la promesse violette
c'est un premier printemps déjà terni d'hiver
c'est caché sous mon rire le rictus de l'aube
la mort a son visage en moi
mais la nuit déchirée soulève ce visage
la prairie ressuscite
mille regards ont lui
la grappe fraternelle qui oscille quelque part
dans l'univers intact
du passé parallèle
accueille ma voix tronquée et sa toison de gel
la mort a son visage en moi
à tout jamais fidèle à nos amis détruits.
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