(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) <br /> <br />In my unfurling dream I saw it happen <br />- The way the hurricane lashes the strand – <br />A two-edged sword whirling in one hand <br />An hourglass in the other <br />This knight rider <br /> <br />Come coursing through Germany <br />Down through towns and the open country <br />And from the river up mountain free, <br />And from forests to valley lone <br />This stallion <br /> <br />Ebony black and red as flame <br />Sans bridle, nor bit, nor rein. <br />Ne’er a hup! nor crop, constrain <br />In the midst of deafening railing <br />Unfailing! Unfailing! <br /> <br />Long plume adorning a huge felt hat <br />Kept in shade his eye which up it lit <br />And then it dimmed. Such as in the mist <br />Explodes and dies this blue flash clear <br />The weapon fire <br /> <br />As when the white-tailed eagle’s wing <br />As might by a sudden storm sting <br />The air streaked with snowing, <br />His fur coat out-raised distend <br />Beat back the wind, <br /> <br />And disclosed with an air: glory be <br />A torso sombre and of ivory, <br />While in the black night free <br />Through strident neighing: dazzling beneath <br />Thirty-two teeth. <br /> <br />© T. Wignesan – Paris,2013<br /><br />T (no first name) Wignesan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nightmare-translation-of-paul-verlaine-s-cauchemar/
