This is my modern English translation of Paul Valéry's poem “Le cimetière marin” (“The graveyard by the sea”). Valéry was buried in the seaside cemetery evoked in his best-known poem. From the vantage of the cemetery, the tombs seemed to “support” a sea-ceiling dotted with white sails. Valéry begins and ends his poem with this image ...

Excerpts from “Le cimetière marin” (“The graveyard by the sea”)
from Charmes ou poèmes (1922)
by Paul Valéry
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Do not, O my soul, aspire to immortal life, but exhaust what is possible.
—Pindar, Pythian Ode 3

1.
This tranquil ceiling, where white doves are sailing,
stands propped between tall pines and foundational tombs,
as the noonday sun composes, with its flames,
sea-waves forever forming and reforming ...
O, what a boon, when some lapsed thought expires,
to reflect on the placid face of Eternity!

5.
As a pear dissolves in the act of being eaten,
transformed, through sudden absence, to delight
relinquishing its shape within our mouths,
even so, I breathe in vapors I’ll become,
as the sea rejoices and its shores enlarge,
fed by lost souls devoured; more are rumored.

6.
Beautiful sky, my true-blue sky, ’tis I
who alters! Pride and indolence possessed me,
yet, somehow, I possessed real potency ...
But now I yield to your ephemeral vapors
as my shadow steals through stations of the dead;
its delicate silhouette crook-*******, “Forward!”

8.
... My soul still awaits reports of its nothingness ...

9.
... What corpse compels me forward, to no end?
What empty skull commends these strange bone-heaps?
A star broods over everything I lost ...

10.
... Here where so much antique marble
shudders over so many shadows,
the faithful sea slumbers ...

11.
... Watchful dog ...
Keep far from these peaceful tombs
the prudent doves, all impossible dreams,
the angels’ curious eyes ...

12.
... The brittle insect scratches out existence ...
... Life is enlarged by its lust for absence ...
... The bitterness of death is sweet and the mind clarified.

13.
... The dead do well here, secured here in this earth ...
... I am what mutates secretly in you ...

14.
I alone can express your apprehensions!
My penitence, my doubts, my limitations,
are fatal flaws in your exquisite diamond ...
But here in their marble-encumbered infinite night
a formless people sleeping at the roots of trees
have slowly adopted your cause ...

15.
... Where, now, are the kindly words of the loving dead? ...
... Now grubs consume, where tears were once composed ...

16.
... Everything dies, returns to earth, gets recycled ...

17.
And what of you, great Soul, do you still dream
there’s something truer than these deceitful colors:
each flash of golden surf on eyes of flesh?
Will you still sing, when you’re as light as air?
Everything perishes and has no presence!
I am not immune; Divine Impatience dies!

18.
Emaciate consolation, Immortality,
grotesquely clothed in your black and gold habit,
transfiguring death into some Madonna’s breast,
your pious ruse and cultivated lie:
who does not know and who does not reject
your empty skull and pandemonic laughter?

24.
The wind is rising! ... We must yet strive to live!
The immense sky opens and closes my book!
Waves surge through shell-shocked rocks, reeking spray!
O, fly, fly away, my sun-bedazzled pages!
Break, breakers! Break joyfully as you threaten to shatter
this tranquil ceiling where white doves are sailing!

*

“Le vent se lève! . . . il faut tenter de vivre!
L'air immense ouvre et referme mon livre,
La vague en poudre ose jaillir des rocs!
Envolez-vous, pages tout éblouies!
Rompez, vagues! Rompez d'eaux réjouies
Ce toit tranquille où picoraient des focs!”



PAUL VALERY TRANSLATION: “SECRET ODE”

“Secret Ode” is a poem by the French poet Paul Valéry about collapsing after a vigorous dance, watching the sun set, and seeing the immensity of the night sky as the stars begin to appear.

Ode secrète (“Secret Ode”)
by Paul Valéry
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

The fall so exquisite, the ending so soft,
the struggle’s abandonment so delightful:
depositing the glistening body
on a bed of moss, after the dance!

Who has ever seen such a glow
illuminate a triumph
as these sun-brightened beads
crowning a sweat-drenched forehead!

Here, touched by the dusk's last light,
this body that achieved so much
by dancing and outdoing Hercules
now mimics the drooping rose-clumps!

Sleep then, our all-conquering hero,
come so soon to this tragic end,
for now the many-headed Hydra
reveals its Infiniteness …

Behold what Bull, what Bear, what Hound,
what Visions of limitless Conquests
beyond the boundaries of Time
the soul imposes on formless Space!

This is the supreme end, this glittering Light
beyond the control of mere monsters and gods,
as it gloriously reveals
the matchless immensity of the heavens!

This is Paul Valery’s bio from the Academy of American Poets:

Paul Valéry
(1871–1945)

Poet, essayist, and thinker Paul Ambroise Valéry was born in the Mediterranean town of Séte, France, on October 30, 1871. He attended the lycée at Montpellier and studied law at the University of Montpellier. Valéry left school early to move to Paris and pursue a life as a poet. In Paris, he was a regular member of Stéphane Mallarmé's Tuesday evening salons. It was at this time that he began to publish poems in avant-garde journals.

In 1892, while visiting relatives in Genoa, Valéry underwent a stark personal transformation. During a violent thunderstorm, he determined that he must free himself "at no matter what cost, from those falsehoods: literature and sentiment." He devoted the next twenty years to studying mathematics, philosophy, and language. From 1892 until 1912, he wrote no poetry. He did begin, however, to keep his ideas and notes in a series of journals, which were published in twenty-nine volumes in 1945. He also wrote essays and the book "La Soirée avec M. *****" ("The Evening with Monsieur *****," 1896).

Valéry supported himself during this period first with a job in the War Department, and then as a secretary at the Havas newspaper agency. This job required him to work only a few hours per day, and he spent the rest of his time pursuing his own ideas. He married Jeannie Gobillard in 1900, and they had one son and one daughter. In 1912 Andre Gide persuaded Valéry to collect and revise his earlier poems. In 1917 Valéry published "La Jeune Parque" ("The Young Fate"), a dramatic monologue of over five-hundred lines, and in 1920 he published "Album de vers anciens," 1890-1920 ("Album of Old Verses"). His second collection of poetry, "Charmes" ("Charms") appeared in 1922. Despite tremendous critical and popular acclaim, Valéry again put aside writing poetry. In 1925 he was elected to the Académe Francaise. He spent the remaining twenty years of his life on frequent lecture tours in and out of France, and he wrote numerous essays on poetry, painting, and dance. Paul Valéry died in Paris in July of 1945 and was given a state funeral.
Along with Paul Verlaine and Stéphane Mallarmé, Valéry is considered one the most important Symbolist writers. His highly self-conscious and philosophical style can also been seen to influence later English-language writers such T. S. Eliot and John Ashbery . His work as a critic and theorist of language was important to many of the structuralist critics of the 1960s and 1970s.

#VALERY #MRB-VALERY #MRBVALERY

Keywords/Tags: Paul Valery, French poem, English translation, sea, seaside, cemetery, grave, graves, graveyard, death, sail, sails, doves, ceiling, soul, souls, dance, sun, sunset, dusk, night, stars, infinity

On a night, eight years ago,
a woman's health, the British leader
and most of them in South America,
Earth and earth, space, sun and perfect love,
changed his wife, emperor of English.
"The Best Moon" - Jari MI - Its roots
are open today, strong oil. Although I look,
I thought: I like role, work, glass, clothes,
women, women and girls, games, ropes
and windows of Russell. My son, I feel
that insulin exploration, walking along
the coast and after a catastrophe, Jellyfish
is a shaman, a bruit, a born demon. There
was a mother who was sick in hospital:
Hit Williams in English, English, French,
French and Williams Williams
in Spanish
England and England, Tom and the
Id Casino: because they were inside
to the east
One night, eight years ago, women's health,
British leaders, and South American majority,
Earth and Earth, the universe, the sun
and perfect love changed his wife to a British consort.
"Best Moon" - MI Fingernail - Very strong tree now.
I watch, but I like Russell's roles, work, glasses,
clothes, women, women and children, games,
ropes and windows. My son, I was on the coast,
and after the accident, I think insulin exploration
is a shaman, a wine, a demon born. The mothers
who came to the hospital were British,
British and British English, French, French,
Williams Williams, and Williams were Tom
and Hawa Kosino. To the east one night
eight years ago, women's health, British leaders,
and the majority of South America,
Earth and earth, universe, sun and perfect love,
change, wife, British wife. "Best Moon" - MI Fingernell -
now a very strong tree. I watch,
but I like Russell's characters, work, glasses, clothes,
women, women and children, games, ropes,
and windows. My son, I'm on the coast
and after the accident, I think the insulin exploration
is Shamanic, wine, and demonic.
The mothers who came to the hospital
were British, British and British English,
French, French, Williams Williams,
and Williams Tom and Havas Casino. To the east

One night, eight years ago, the health of women,
British leaders and South Americans; Earth and Earth,
World, Sun and Love, Change, Woman,
British Consortium. "The Best Moon" - MI Fingernail -
Very Strong Wood. I watch, but I like Russell's roles,
work, glasses, clothes, women, children and women,
games, ropes and windows. My son, I was on the shore
and the insulin exploration after the accident
is a shaman,
wines born of the demons. British, British
and British English, French, French, Williams
Williams and Williams Tom and Hwa Cosino
arrived at the hospital. On Easter Day, eight years ago,
women's health, British leaders
and the majority of South America;
Earth and earth, World, sun and love,
change, female, British woman. "The Best Moon" -
MI Fingernell - is now a very strong tree.
I watch, but I like Russell's characters,
work, glasses, clothes, women, children
and women, games, ropes and windows.
My son, on the shore and after the accident,
the insulin exploration, Shamanism,
wine and ***. The British, British
and British English, French, French,
Williams Williams and Williams T
homas and Hawas Casino arrived
at the hospital. In the East; One night,
eight years ago, the health of women leaders,
British and South American, Earth and Earth,
The World, Sun and Love, Change, Women,
United Kingdom. The "best moon" -
MI fingers - very wood. I watch,
but I like the roles of Russell, work, glasses,
clothes, women, children and women,
ropes and windows. My son, on the shore
and the insulator, after the accident
was a chocolate-derived alcoholic.
English, English, and English, English,
French, Williams, Williams, William,
Tommy and Hakanco Sino have come to the hospital.
In the eighth year, the health of women,
British leaders, and most of South America.
Earth and Earth, the sun, and love, *** change,
"The Best Lunar" -Mi F. Neilhel -
Now is a very great tree. I watch,
but I like dressmakers, work, glasses, clothes,
women, children and women, belts and windows.
My son was on the riverbank and,
after this accident, the insulin research
'was immune to alcohol and ***.
England, England, England and England,
France, France, William William William,
Thomas Thomas and the *****
from the Casino
arrived at the hospital. In the east

While this is going on, it happened, the salvation of the English,
after eight years, Africa, and South America, Earth
and all land in the world, and I love the Women in the United States.
"It's good" for peace, NY 1000 - the most exciting. To me, the work
of his clothes, and the women and the little children, and yet I see
the women beholden to the cords of Philosophy's window.
Came to pass after my son, alcohol as the rock, and having lost his
'prescription'. English, English, English, English, Spanish,
Williams, Williams, William Francis and Hakan Koshino hospital.
Within eight years, women, healthy,
and the leaders of Great Britain Southwest.
The world, the earth, the sun, love and ***,
"Sunday Best" - P. Nilhilo - and it was great fun.
I see, too, and robed in the garments of the goods:
but the house of the women, to the girl,
and the women, of their outlook. After
crossing river child is not an enforcement agency,
and *** marriages. England, Britain, Spain,
translated Johannes Julius William, Thomas,
Thomas & Hose Good were taken to the hospital.
The east side;but we see women who look
at the philosophical background. However, this happens -
the rescue of English-Afrikaans and South American years.
There are countries and countries in the world,
and I have women in the United States. "OK",
Peace, New York 1000 - the most exciting.
For me, my clothes, baby, and teenagers
work to find women who see philosophy.
He disappeared after the dogfish and his "definition".
English, English, English, English, Spanish, Williams,
Williams, William Francis and Hakan Koshino.
Eight years later, women in the south are healthy.
World, earth, sun, love and unity, "Good Week" - P. Nilillo -
and it's great. I also saw clothes in the bathroom:
the house of women, women and women, and their freedom.
As you cross the river, the baby is not a branch
of ****** sexuality. Britain, Britain, Spain,
John Julius William, Thomas, Thomas and Jose
Hud were taken to hospital. East side; However,
this happens - the English-African and South
American years
have escaped. There are countries and countries in the world,
I have women in America. "Okay", Peace, New York 1000 -
most exciting. My dress, infants, and teenagers help me
to find women who are philosophical. After Delphi and his "Definition",
he disappeared. English, English, English, English,
English, Spanish, Williams, Williams, William Francis,
Hackan Cosione. Eight years later, southern women
are women. World, earth, sun, love, unity, "good sun" -
p. Nilo - that's fine. I saw the clothes in the bathroom:
the home of the women of the women,
women, and women. When you have crossed the river,
the child's *** is not a branch. Britain, Britain,
Spain, John Julius William, Thomas, Thomas
and Jose Houd were admitted to a hospital.
Eastward; However, it happens - years African English
and fled to South America. There are countries
and countries in the world, I have women in America.
"Okay", Peace, New York 1000 - the most exciting.

The suit, babies and my girls help to find women
who are philosophical. After inserting her Diaphragm
and its definition,
it disappeared. English, English, English, English,
English, Spanish, Williams, Williams, William Francis,
Hackan Cosione. Eight years later, the southern women
are women. World, world, sunshine, love, unity,
"good sun" - p. Nilo - That's fine. I saw the clothes
in the bathroom in the home of the women, women
and women. When it crossed the river, gender
and child *** not branch. United Kingdom, Britain,
Spain, John Julius William, Thomas, Thomas
and Jose Houdini been admitted to a hospital in the East

My love is winter skies,
Ice cold cheeks,
Rainy days and frozen tears

It's a series of sad songs,
The most melancholic,
But I don't mind it not being frolic

It's loosing, finding, keeping hope
Old park benches,
Not staying close

Like the future
That never comes
It's the kind that only haunts.

Necesas ne, ke vi atendu;
vi havas sufiĉe lernadon.
Parolas vi jam Esperanton,
se vi legas ĉi tiun skribadon.