by Jovan Dučić (1871 - 1943)
Translation by Paul Selver (1888 - 1970)
Jablanovi
Language: Serbian (Српски)
Zašto noćas tako šume jablanovi, tako strasno, čudno? Zašto tako šume? Žuti mesec sporo zalazi za hume, daleke i crne, ko slutnje; i snovi U toj mrtvoj noći pali su na vodu, ko olovo mirnu i sivu, u mraku. Jablanovi samo visoko u zraku šume, šume čudno, i drhću u svodu. Sam, kraj mirne vode, u noći, ja stojim ko potonji čovek. Zemljom, prema meni, leži moja senka. Ja se noćas bojim sebe, i ja strepim sam od svoje seni.
Text Authorship:
- by Jovan Dučić (1871 - 1943), "Jablanovi", appears in Pesme sunca, in Senke po vodi [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Paul Selver (1888 - 1970) , "The poplars", first published 1919 ; composed by Kaikhosru Sorabji, born Leon Dudley Sorabji.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-07-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 80
The poplars
Language: English after the Serbian (Српски)
Why are the poplars to-night so aquiver? So eerily, wildly? What betokens their sound? The sallow moon has faded long beyond the mound Distant and dark as foreboding; on the river Gloomily plunged in silence, leaden and grey Visions have been scattered amid this dead night. The poplars alone, upreared upon the height, Rustle, rustle eerily and skyward sway. Alone in the night by the silent water here I stand, as the last mortal. It is my shadow that Lies earthward before me. To-night I am in fear Of myself, my own shadow, and I tremble thereat.
Confirmed with An Anthology of Modern Slavonic Literature in Prose and Verse, compiled and translated by Paul Selver, London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd., 1919, page 287.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Selver (1888 - 1970), "The poplars", first published 1919 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Serbian (Српски) by Jovan Dučić (1871 - 1943), "Jablanovi", appears in Pesme sunca, in Senke po vodi
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Kaikhosru Sorabji (1892 - 1988), "The poplars", op. 2 no. 1, KSS 1 (1915), first performed 2002 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-07-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 97