TO VICTOR HUGO OF MY CROW PLUTO
Marianne Moore
"Even when the bird is walking we know that it has wings."
--Victor Hugo
Of:
my crow
Pluto,
the true
Plato
azzurro-
negro...................... [blue-black]
green-blue
rainbow-
Victor Hugo
it is true
we know
that the crow
"has wings," how-
ever pigeon-toe-
inturned on grass. We do.
(adagio)
Vivo-
rosso..........................[lively]
"corvo,"
although
con dizio-
nario..........................[with dictionary]
io parlo
Italiano-
this pseudo
Esperanto
which, savio
ucello.........................[knowing bird]
you speak too--
my vow and motto
(botto e totto)
io giuro.......................[(vow and motto),i swear]
é questo
credo:.........................[is this credo]
lucro
é peso morto...................[profit is a dead weight]
And so
dear crow--
gioiéllo
mio............................[my jewel]
I have to
let you go;
a bel bosco....................[to lovely woods]
generoso,
tuttuto
vagabondo,.....................[complete gypsy]
serafino
uvaceo.........................[grape-black seraph]
Sunto,.........................[in short]
oltremarino
verecondo......................[modest]
Plato, addio.
[translation provided by Marianne Moore:
"Impromtu equivalents for esparanto madeinusa (Made in USA) for
those who might not resent them."]
---==---
Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters.
---==---
Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when,
whatever be the attitude of the body,
the soul is on its knees.
---==---
Loving is half of believing.
Victor Hugo
The mountains, the forest, and the sea, render men savage;
they develop the fierce, but yet do not destroy the human.
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