SNOW OUTSIDE (IL NEIGE DEHORS)

Le grand poète et ami anglais Norton Hodges a traduit en anglais mon poème "Il neige". Je lui suis profondément reconnaissant.

Snow Outside

for Norton Hodges

'Night came and with it snow,
and under the cloak of snow a mountain'

Pentti Holappa, The Torch

Snow, snow, it's snowing outside, my Friend,
and we are each in our separate rooms,
behind the windows watching us with their blue eyes
like the small tight circles
in the shining centreof our divine souls.

We're both far from each other,
both turned towards matters of eternity,
having abandoned the incessant stream of humanity
and the sweet peace of the diaphanous countryside.

For, My Friend, that's how
we're able to contemplate,
with serene and tearful eyes,
the spheres filled with light
and richness of soul
always changing, always the same.

And from our solitary hearts there rises
elegant and discreet,
like delicate pink smoke above the taciturn houses,
this invigorating prayer of our two beings:

'O my soul, don't stay here any longer,
rise up again towards the Essence of all,
and let me rise with you to see, to contemplate
the pure light of first things!

O my soul,
you who not only remember God,
but never cease to see Him!
You, my soul,
who've lived for ever!'

And, my Friend,
we know without having been taught,
that what has always been
is that single same thing,
that single same Love,
Absolute Love Eternal!

translated from the French of Athanase Vantchev de Thracy by Norton Hodges
January 2009