Painting: The Sky in the Sea, Belongs to Me, by Aigars Rinkulis (1970-2013)The Violet “Ave”The sea s
Painting: The Sky in the Sea, Belongs to Me, by Aigars Rinkulis (1970-2013)The Violet “Ave”The sea surface lies heavy, like molten tin…Then suddenly it shows itself sun-crowned:In flaming glory the sun sets westwardsSearching amongst cool waves for its graveBit by bit disappearing as it treads the red dunes,Leaving the earth behind to its darkness and pain,Here now it disappears, - but the waves before it, take its lifeAnd they shine, and shimmer, and mirror, and slide and splash;The grey coast of even stoney hues Bursts into branching flashes like a ruler’s crown And sounds, flowing from afar on the waves,Sweet melodies, breaking in anguish:“The sun was gold,Now sallow, deathly old,-There were path of light,Now linen and night, -There was burst of beams,Now the darkness teems, -Fading, light fading!Fear and vapours - dismaying!”Bells toll with heavy tongues clanging,Winds cry on the shivering zither strings,All the little fish tremble.*And cry along.The mermaids’ pearly jewellery appears,Sapphires and emeralds all cast out.A mirror falls out of the moon’s handFloating on the waves, splintered in pieces.Tears rain from the stars:“Is the sun dying?”But louder and louder comes the reply,The violet “Ave”:“It is not death!It is not death!”- Aspazija (1865-1943) (From her collection: In The Time Of Asters - Autumn Poems, 1928)My translation from the Latvian; see read more for the Latvian original.PURPURA ĀVĒSmagi dus jūras līmens kā kausēts no alva…Te pēkšņi parādās saules kronētā galva:Liesmainā godībā saule nokāpj pa rietuViļņu vēsumā meklēt sev kapa vietu.Maz pa mazam tā pazūd, kāpjot pa sarkanām kāpēm,Atstāj zemi aiz sevis tumsai un sāpēm. —Te tā jau pazūd——bet viļņi top dzīvi aiz tāsUn zaigo, un mirgo, un spulgo, un zvīļo, un laistās!Pelēkas krastmalas vienmuļos klinšu toņosIedegas zarotas liesmas kā valdnieku kroņos,Un skaņas, no tāles pa viļņiem šurpu plūstot,Saldas meldiņas atnes, žēlumā lūstot:«Bij saule zelta,Nu nāves dzelta, —Bij gaismas ceļi,Nu nakts un veļi, —Bij staru tekas,Nu tumsas sekas, —Zūd gaisma, gaisma!Kāpj tvaiks un baisma——»Dun zvani ar smagi dimdošām mēlēm,Raud vēji uz drebošām kokļu spēlēm.Visas sīkas zivtiņas šaudāsLīdzi raudās.Jūras jaunavām pērļotas matpīnes raisās:Safīrs un smaragds kaisās.Mēnesim izkrīt no rokām spogulisUn plūdo uz viļņiem, gabalos saplīsis,Zvaigznēm asaras birst:«Vai saule mirst?»Bet skaļāk un skaļāk skan purpura āvē:Nav nāve,Nav nāve!- Aspazija* Note: I’m pretty sure that the zither (the Latvian kokle) and fish bit relates to the wind blowing through fish - specifically sprats - hanging on lines to dry at Riga’s beach (Jurmala) -- source link
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