To Purify the Words of the Tribe : The Major Verse Poems of Stephane Mallarme (English, French and French Edition) - Softcover

Mallarme, Stephane; Herron, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0965236439 ISBN 13: 9780965236430

Publisher: Sky Blue Pr, 1999

Synopsis

A bilingual collection of 55 Stephane Mallarme poems. Translated from the French by Daisy Aldan with expositions. Mallarme (1842-1898), renowned French symbolist poet, is famous for his unique approach to poetry, considered today to be brilliant.

This new bilingual collection of 55 Stephane Mallarme poems, including one of his masterpieces, "Un Coup De Des" ("A Throw of the Dice"), gives readers a fresh new perspective of Mallarme's genius. Translator Dr. Daisy Aldan discovered and fell in love with Mallarme's work when she was told that her poetry was reminiscent of his. In 1956, she translated "Un Coup De Des" into English for the first time; the result was recognition of Dr. Aldan's unparalleled deep understanding and feeling for Mallarme. Now, more than 40 years later, she has blessed us with To Purify the Words of the Tribe, with expositions, which will surely lead to a deeper comprehension of the poetry of Stephane Mallarme.

About this title

About the Author

Stephane Mallarme (1842-1898), renowned French symbolist poet, is famous for his unique approach to poetry, considered today to be brilliant. His greatest works include Herodiade and "Un Coup De Des," and among his many verse poems are "Soupir" ("Sigh"), "L'Azur" ("The Azure"), and "Le Tombeau d'Edgar Poe" ("The Tomb of Edgar Poe"). While never achieving recognition for his genius during his lifetime, he would later be acknowledged as a pioneer of modern poetry, inspiring the work of Paul Valery, Emile Verhaeren, Henri de Renier, Albert Mockel, and prompting some of Debussy's and Ravel's most compelling compositions. Mallarme's life was one of rejection and scorn for his innovative but enigmatic style; he yearned for the perfect reader, one who could complete the artistic creation of the poem by experiencing it.

Daisy Aldan is a well-known translator, poet, critic, and teacher, recipient of the American Literary Translator's Award, the DeWitt Lyric Poet Award, an NEA Poetry Prize, the International Who's Who Poetry Award, and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for her collection of poems entitled Between High Tides. She has translated works of Swiss Poet Albert Steffen, German philosopher Rudolf Steiner, and Mallarme's "Un Coup De Des." Dr. Aldan is a member of PEN, and has served as a member of the Executive Board of the Poetry Society of America, the National Book Critics Circle, and the reviewing staff of World Literature Today.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"Apparition": The moon grew sorrowful. Weeping Seraphim/ Dreaming with drawn bows, in the calm of misty/ Flowers, drew from expiring viols/ White sobs gliding across azure corollas./ It was the blessed day of your first kiss./ My musing delighting to torment me/ Was drinking deep of the perfume of sadness/ Which even without regret or deception, leaves to the heart/ Which has gathered it, the reaping of a dream./ I wandered then, eyes glued to the worn pavement/ When with sunlight in your hair, in the street/ And in the evening, laughing, you appeared/ And I thought I saw the fairy in her cap of light/ Who once in my tranquil spoiled-child sleep/ Passed by, and who from her half-closed hands/ Let snow down white bouquets of perfumed stars.

Edition details

• Publisher: Sky Blue Pr
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0965236439
• ISBN 13: 9780965236430
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 224