Evolution of a Translation

8/13/2019 Evolution of a Translation

1/15

Jane H. Buckingham [email protected] https://twitter.com/translator_frog
mailto:[email protected]://twitter.com/translator_frogmailto:[email protected]://twitter.com/translator_frog


2/15

THE CHALLENGE

EVOLUTION OF A

TRANSLATION

or

A Ten-Secon !lay

"ompile by

#ane $. %uckingham



3/15

Preface

The characters are real an the e&ent recore here is factual. The compiler has

been gi&en e'plicit consent by each of the participants to epict( using suitable

pseuonyms( their creations an their acti&ities. The contents or part or parts ofthe contents of this ocument may not be copie( isseminate( or istribute

without ue creit to the author or authors in&ol&e.

#ane $ %uckingham

"ompiler

)ctober *+,



4/15

CHARACTERS

A group of mile-age friens( former classmates( that inclues )01 2young

kibit3ing illiterate4( ( ( ,(( ( an .



5/15

SETTING

The action takes place in ether.

TIME

The present.

SYNOPSIS

A group of former classmates get together iscussing poetry an one of them

offers up the classic poem Trees 2,5,64 by #oyce 7ilmer 2,889-,5,84 as

inspiration an a challenge to the rest to come up with poems about one of

natures gift to mankin. )ne classmate immeiately picks up the gauntlet anpresents a "hinese translation. The subse;uent burst of fer&ent energy results in

a a33ling isplay of creati&e talents an constructi&e criti;ues.



6/15

1

As the curtain rises, the old friends are hovering

together having a discussion.

)01

7nowing how much time you all ha&e to be creati&e an scholarly( < thought the

following poem from #oyce 7ilmer woul inspire you all in one way or

another. After all( in my humble opinion( what a way to pay tribute to his

insightful poem while celebrating our school=s upcoming centennial by coming up

with one or more of your poems about one of natures remarkable-but-often-

taken-for-grante gifts to mankin.

Treesby #oyce 7ilmer

Ithink that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

ho intimately lives with rain.

!oems are made by fools like me,

"ut only God #an make a tree.

Trees is a &ery lo&e poem( we learne it as a lo&ely song( < still remember the

tune. < wouln=t are to write anything comparable. < couln=t e&en if < try. %ut( AB

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?ow that one of you has finishe the lefto&ers( let=s begin with some bran newthoughts about trees that woul make r. T an others roll o&er prou.

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8/15

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WOW! This is certainly no sham 01!! Brao!!! "n# in the rising sun....

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0hich one is better At least reas better with the whole translation ?ee

comments from you B F01as a eeply religious person an GHIas a fan of

poetry 2not necessary a fan of4.

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9/15

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10/15

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11/15

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0ell( thats e'actly what my limite ink couln=t o. y style of writing is to

HII myself from the Cnee the bottom two lines D an take the self-

accepte way to o C'Jq!xK.D Sorry this is my way out.

< ha&e a re;uest/proposal to all you poets. < think your brilliance shoul be

share not just among us but also with the worl. < am wonering if < ha&e your

permission to make a loose collection of your creations an uploa it to the web.

Jery unerstanable if you want to keep this among oursel&es( but please o

consier my suggestion.

Thanks for your proposal( but < respectfully ecline the in&itation. y poems are

really written just for fun an not for sharing with the worl.

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?ow it might be 8EM( but &ery EEM. Anyway(


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I think that I would like to see

A man who grows up like a tree.

A tree whose leafy #rown gives shade

$o those who seek a resting pla#e.

A tree that stret#hes his arms all day

And let the #hildren #limb and play.

A tree that listens to your prayer

hen you feel lonely in despair.

And on those of your happy days

%e silently listens when you sing.

&h God who makes both tree and man,

And wishes man #an be like a tree.

)01

%ra&o( this is certainly no pig roppings>

owl( it shoul bexy

< whole-heartely share the &iews of an . As for my poems(~z:

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13/15

-

Ah( come on( people> 0hy the moesty> 1et me sprea your wors an let the

worl share your happiness> 0e=re all mile age( {|}(~(-e

6L lea&e something for the kis to sa&our.

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14/15

Such a lot for me to chew an igest. The other ay < listene to the songMy

Wayan it ga&e me some insights. $ere=s a part of it:

And now, the end is here

And so I fa#e the final #urtain

y friend, I'll say it #lear

I'll state my #ase, of whi#h I'm #ertain

I've lived a life that's full

I traveled ea#h and ev'ry highway

And more, mu#h more than this, I did it my way .

or most of us( the en is an unknown istance from here an sooner or later we

ha&e to face the final curtain. #ust as sai( C0e=re all mile age( {|},

~(-e6( lea&e something for the kis to sa&our.D < o think you

ha&e a point there. %ut( < ha&e to stress again that what we write aren=t the like that of . 0e only call them ( meaning that we on=t stick to the

format( the . 0e just o it our way. < write just as a pastime an really

-( or ,,-or whate&er other combinations of these.


15/15

10

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< am the #ohnny-come-lately( but this is a translation that comes to my min.

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/ou all hae aout 1* months to com&lete the challenge.

To be continued


Documents

Evolution of a Translation