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Le Courlis Poussa Des Cris Translation of Oodgeroo Noonuccal's the Curlew Cried By T Wignesan
Le Courlis Poussa Des Cris Translation of Oodgeroo Noonuccal's the Curlew Cried By T Wignesan
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Le Courlis poussa des cris -Translation of Oodgeroo Noonuccal's The Curlew Cried by T Wignesan
(Note d’Oodgeroo : Le courlis fut le frère d’aborigènes. Il venait trois nuits de suite pour pousser des cris près d’un campement afin d’annoncer la mort d’un entre eux. Ils croyaient que le courlis venait pour conduire les ombres des morts vers le monde Inconnu.)
Durant trois nuits on entendait le cri du courlis,
L’ancien avertissement tous savaient interpréter :
Le cri leurs rappelle quelqu’un va mourir cette nuit.
Tant frère qu’ami, il entre et sort
En dehors de la Terre des Ombres
La voix la plus insolite sur terre.
Il a en sa charge le bien-être de ceux
Dont chaque âme qu’il conduit à sa destination –
A quel monde mystérieux, à quel étrange Inconnu ?
Qui donc devait nous quitter cette nuit :
Le vieux aveugle ? L’enfant handicapé ?
Tout le campement sera au courant demain.
Le défunt malchanceux ne sera pas si effrayé,
Le frère de la tribu lui tiendra compagnie
Quand le voyage non voulu devrait être entamé.
‘Tiens bon, la mort ne pas une fin en soi-même,’
Il semblait dire. ’Bien que tu dois pleurer,
La Mort est bienveillante puisqu’elle est ton ami.
’ Durant trois nuits le courlis poussa des cris.
Une fois de plus Il vient pour accompagner les morts timides –
Quelle macabre changement, quelle épouvantable rive ?
(c) T. Wignesan – Paris, 2016
Copyright © T Wignesan | Year Posted 2016
Le Courlis poussa des cries – Translation of Oodgeroo Noonuccal's "The Curlew Cried" by T. Wignesan
(Note from Oodgeroo: The curlew was the brother of aborigines. He came three nights in a row to shout near a camp to announce the death of one of them. They believed that the curlew came to lead the shadows of the dead to the Unknown world.)
For three nights we heard the cry of the curlew,
The old warning all knew how to interpret:
The cry reminds them someone will die that night.
Both brother and friend, he enters and leaves
Outside the Land of Shadows
The most unusual voice on earth.
He is in charge of the well-being of those
Whose every soul he leads to his destination –
To what mysterious world, to what strange Unknown?
Who then had to leave us that night:
The old blind man? The disabled child?
The whole camp will be aware tomorrow.
The unlucky deceased will not be so frightened,
The brother of the tribe will keep him company
When the unwanted journey should be started.
'Hold on, death does not end in itself,'
He seemed to say. 'Although you have to cry,
Death is benevolent because she is your friend.'
For three nights the curlew cried.
Once again He comes to accompany the timid dead
– What a macabre change, what a terrible shore?
(c) T. Wignesan – Paris, 2016
Copyright © T Wignesan | Year Posted 2016
Copyright © T Wignesan | Year Posted 2021
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