Nightmare, Translation of Paul Verlaine's Cauchemar

Nightmare, Translation of Paul Verlaine’s Cauchemar (Translation of Paul Verlaine’s quintilla : « Cauchemar ». As usual, I have tried to stick to the original’s stanzaic format and rhyme scheme. T. Wignesan) In my unfurling dream I saw it happen - The way the hurricane lashes the strand – A two-edged sword whirling in one hand An hourglass in the other This knight rider Come coursing through Germany Down through towns and the open country And from the river up mountain free, And from forests to valley lone This stallion Ebony black and red as flame Sans bridle, nor bit, nor rein. Ne’er a hup ! nor crop, constrain In the midst of deafening railing Unfailing ! Unfailing ! Long plume adorning a huge felt hat Kept in shade his eye which up it lit And then it dimmed. Such as in the mist Explodes and dies this blue flash clear The weapon fire As when the white-tailed eagle’s wing As might by a sudden storm sting The air streaked with snowing, His fur coat out-raised distend Beat back the wind, And disclosed with an air : glory be A torso sombre and of ivory, While in the black night free Through strident neighing : dazzling beneath Thirty-two teeth. © T. Wignesan – Paris, 2013