Long Soir Poems

Translation of YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG
By T. Wignesan
(Written by : Herbert Kretzmer)

(Variously sung in a host of styles, moods and orchestration by
exquisite soul-movers like Roberta Flack, Shirley Bassey, Charles Aznavour, Glen Campbell, Andy Williams,...

Read More

Claquée j’ai quitté mon lit douillé 
J’ai peur de sombrer dans ma tête souillée 
Dans mes rêves je suis toujours exilée 
Je n’ai jamais trouvé le sommeil espéré  
J’ai savouré le mal qui me...

Read More

UNQUOTABLE QUOTES: XLVIII - Tongue Teasers

If the « Yellow Race » could have invented the alphabet, they wouldn’t still be seeing « Images » when they close their eyes. Picasso, Dadaism, Surrealist and Abstract painting...

Read More

Les Protecteurs – Translation of Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s “The Protectors” by T. Wignesan

(Note: Oodgeroo never claimed to write poetry à la manière des poètes occidentaux; she said - without mincing words – her lines were sheer...

Read More

Translation of " Those were the Days, My Friend " by T. Wignesan

Ces jours éloignés que nous avions partagés, Mon Ami

(A re-make of an earlier Russian song, produced by Paul McCartenay and sung by
 Mary...

Read More

The Evening Soup, Translation of Paul Verlaine’s La soupe du soir

						To J.-K. Huysmans

(Verlaine here paints a stark tableau of working-class or peasant life shorn of any symbolic or imaginary references. Even if I see no...

Read More

French Version -

Demain, dès l'aube by Victor Hugo

Demain, dès l’aube, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne,
Je partirai. Vois-tu, je sais que tu m’attends.
J’irai par la forêt, j’irai par la montagne.
Je ne puis demeurer loin de...

Read More

Translation of Marcel Moreau's " Je t'écris " by T. Wignesan

I WRITE TO YOU

I choose green ink to write to you
For Love does not prescribe any one hue
In the hope you might take shape
When desire...

Read More

The blue hour takes root ...

There is the dark wing of the steamer,
Which takes the open sea, and carries away its regrets,
Tiny passengers, waving handkerchiefs
And the seagulls passing and passing again.
Heavy rusty chains, in heaps...

Read More

Les Souvenirs de Noël – Translation of Joy Williams’s « Memories of Christmas » by T. Wignesan

(Joy Williams, b. 1942 in Sydney. Since she was born « fair » of skin, the authorities forcibly removed...

Read More

Nuit magique (Awesome Night)
Catherine Lara

(A lilting catchy French tune with a " barbed " message addressed to oneself or to any damsel in distress. Free translation by T. Wignesan)

Okay
Il n'y avait rien à faire (One...

Read More

The sun plunged
In the space of silence,
The summer has been extended
In a slow wandering ...

The orb has been drunk,
Gradually, by fringes.
> We did not hear anything,
From the fall of the angel ...

The horizon has folded...

Read More

I awaken; the darkened skies my alarm clock
I reek of whiskey, scotch and pastis
Tumbling out of bed, I reach for a cigarette
The dusk harkens as I rise to ply my trade

I am embodied inside a...

Read More

I can't seem to face up to the facts.
I'm tense & nervous because of my killer cat.
I can't sleep because my bed is on fire.
Don't touch him! He's a real live wire.

Psycho kitty!
Qu'set - 've,...

Read More

One light, I was out panting the clown red when I met a Sadie from Francis who I found to be quiet subtractive. It was apparel she thought I was distracted two because she ted,...

Read More

SHINE ON DARLING MORNING LIGHT

Shine on darling, right;
Morning you're light;
Burgundy beautiful woman
Passionate are you my flower;
Purposely I shall plant in my heart forever;

Your crimson surpasses my desires;
I am enthralled by your fires;
Burning effortlessly ever bright;
now...

Read More

Tali Karng : le Serpent du Crépuscule – Translation of W. Les Russell’s  « Tali Karng : Twilight Snake » by T. Wignesan

(W.Les Russell, b. 1949 in Melbourne, joined the Royal Australian Navy –...

Read More

Starbright

As I gaze into indigo skies,
Stars are brighter tonight,
Twinkling in the darkness 
Of a new moon.
Orion's belt enchants 
My impassioned heart
As my thoughts of you soar
In a dimension devoid 
Of Time's constraints.
Let me feel the...

Read More

Post-coital Tristesse: 

Are you feeling violated, like you’ve repeatedly been the victim of some heinous, perverted molestation too gruesome to detail? Does the term gang rape fill you with a new-found sense of disgust? Do...

Read More

Wish I was a poet, and got well paid
for poems writ whilst wearing suede
and drinking lots ‘n' lots of claret, 
in a well-appointed Paris garret

My publisher would love me true, 
and pay my rent, when...

Read More

Podemos Divoz & Concevoie Ce Soir !
the initial stage, and the underwriting stage
and distribution stage were initiated from
the beginnings of these talks.
They sought love and found it.
and became wealthy from doing so.
she concentrated on accomplishing
thing...

Read More

-

Soon
the moon is black,
she is in mourning of the evening

Over the garden’s stones
Shadows are getting longer
from tomorrow

The confusion of the sky
The seedling of comets
The pulse of the planets

Will do nothing with the future
Just the scent...

Read More

TONIGHT then maybe 
this Evening awaits me
that place i drink
in some peace
 leaving song
leaving words
leaving paintings
behind?  This never.

  My constitution
bravely happier:

i am supremely 
patient!

The sneeze gave me
reprieve.  These tears
a single eternal moment
my...

Read More