Monday, April 23, 2012

encounters that barely happen

















A la table du fond 

La si discrète dame, tout au fond 
de la brasserie, dans l’ombre, 
arrivant chaque jour pour déjeuner, seule, 
et se mettant à l’écart, là-bas, 
dois-je saluer son indépendance? 
déplorer sa solitude? 
Je ne sais, je ne sais 
qu’un infime reflet lumineux 
dans les verres de ses lunettes. 

Paul de Roux


At the far table 

The very discrete lady, at the far end 
of the café, in shadow, 
who comes each day for lunch, alone, 
and sets herself apart, there -- 
should I salute her independence? 
lament her loneliness? 
I don’t know, I don’t know 
anything but a tiny gleam 
in the glass of her spectacles.

(my translation)


21 comments:

  1. Oh yes, salute her independence. And watch closely for when the tiny gleam is reflected in your glass. She might be asking for lament then. Or she might be saluting your independence!

    How lovely this is. I'm moved.

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    1. Ruth: that would be a moment to remember, this mutual recognition :-)

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  2. I sometimes wonder if we isolate ourselves to a point we rather be alone and call this independence or is it our independence that isolates us so we would rather be alone.

    Sometimes it's great to just have alone time but I know a few people that don't socialize much and it's hard me to understand why they want to live like this.

    A very moving poem I agree. This poem has me thinking about my own life and how much I hate to go out to eat by myself.

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    1. Liz: i guess the line between isolation and independence is subtle. i hope you have someone to eat with when you want someone, and the opportunity to be alone when you desire solitude ....

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  3. we know nothing of one another. all we know is ourselves and so what would you have her recognize in you? should she salute your independence or lament your loneliness?

    both. of course, both. we exist with our feet in both states of being.

    you've married this with the perfect photograph. i wonder which came first. did you have the shot and find the poem or conversely, or was it a spontaneous marriage?

    xo
    erin

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    1. erin: yes, of course, both :-)

      the picture came first, on the same day as the yellow awning below .. a little restaurant just off the beach up in michigan .. a windy cold day last march or april, when i was actually quite happy to be there alone, eating slowly and reading poetry at the table ... i liked the picture but felt, somehow, that it was waiting for something ... the poem came just recently, out of the into the deep street anthology, where i recognized this woman immediately and said, ah, that's what we were waiting for ...

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  4. Oh what an amazing photograph! This woman could be me and it scares me a little. After reading the poem I feel better about myself though. Brilliant.

    Kiss you. :)

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    1. Kenia: there is a difference between loneliness and solitude ... hope you have the second more often than the first :-)

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  5. it is again one of those almost scary coincidences, i have just read this before coming here, from an interview with William Bronk:


    You’ve lived here alone for many years now, haven’t you?

    BRONK: I think most people’s lives are pretty solitary. Even people who go to offices or factories where there are lots of other people. I remember a woman I would have said had lived a great deal of her life in a quite satisfactory marriage, had several children. Her husband died, and I was commiserating with her. She said, "I’ve always been alone." And I was surprised but the more I thought about it, the more I thought, yeah, she’s one of the few honest people in the world.

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    1. Roxana: the bronk quote is astounding ... perhaps we have no idea how many lonely people in the world, those whom we pass everyday ... most people? all?

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  6. What a gorgeous picture, the exotic colours and the woman, alone. And what fine poem to match it!

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    1. Marion: thank you :-) it was a bit of good luck, finding the poem and already having the picture on hand ...

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  7. Fascinating poem and photo pairing. There is not much judgment here, just observation and that feels right to me. As one who dines alone, a salute seems fitting; just a nod would be sufficient.

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    1. Jane: no, no judgment at all ... approval, if anything ... an independent spirit recognizing another ...

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  8. I wondered the same things as Erin... which came first and I wondered what she may have seen of you. Wonderful wedding of the poem and photo.

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  9. nouvelles couleurs: thank you for visiting and for these kind words :-)

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  10. Jeannettee: thank you. it was the photo then the poem, but it could easily have been the other way around ...

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  11. This is one of your best shots James!
    I love the dark, colourful and silent atmosphere. ;-)

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  12. Lucia: thank you :-)

    i also wonder about the lives of other people ... those anonymous ones you meet once, who knows what deeps and fires might be under the surface?

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    1. I love the way you see the world James! ;-)

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