Howard Scott

Translation of Zachary Richard's poem "1^er août, Section III (extrait)."
Traduction du poème "1er août, Section III (extrait)" de Zachary Richard.

August 1st, Section III (excerpt)

Too hot
        Early August, trees
Weary with July heat
        Yellowed leaves, energy
Back to the earth
        Except invincible oaks
Refuge for singing cicadas
        And spiders sculpting
Their webs. In their branches
        Ants dance
Daintily, late summer ballet

Like the birds, I hide under the leaves
        Seeking shade
Looking at that pale, pitiless sun
        Asking wilted questions
How through evolution and persecution
        Through life and death, how did my bone and blood
My eyes, balls and head
        End up here? Joined through my ancestors
To the first walking men, to the first fish
        Swimming in the primeval sludge
Joined through my arteries to the first hint
        Of the first idea in the
Middle of an afternoon on a road
        Out of the country in southwest Louisiana
To end up god knows where, joined through the choice of my
        Heritage sowed backward as much as
Forwards, and by sundry accidents or by crooked fate
        Saddened by the arrogance of man,
Soothed by the beauty of the fields
        And the trees.

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