Jean Portante in Numéro Cinq

The General Indifference of Sand: Poems — Jean Portante Translated by Pierre JorisThe first poem begins:

 

THE DESERT

Le désert compta ses rides et l’aigle et le
faucon répandirent, aussitôt la nouvelle.

— Edmond Jabès

it is due to the general indifference of
the grains of sand
that the desert came about
but also because the sand
knew how to remain gregarious

………………..*

to know that all the grains of sand
of all the deserts sleep in me
does not reassure me
like them every night
I get underway
searching for a dry dream
a dream which in order to defend us
would brave the meanders of humidity

………………..*

I went to station myself
on the line separating one desert from the other
to watch the grains of sand
getting married in secret
before crossing the border

………………..*

(ctd. here)

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1 Response

  1. Poo says:

    It reminds me of that great line from Albert Camus in L’Etranger, “the benign indifference of the universe.” Prose and poetry to live by.

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