My Species -- Jane Hirshfield (Redux)

Mo Speiceas-Sa

an bliosán beag corcra
fiú
a bheirítear
ina chuid uiscí féin
goirt
ag dorchú
éiríonn bog,
milis is mín
foighne, a speicis liom,
ar mé i m’aignese
leanaíg’ oraibh ag tástáil na nduilleog spíonach
an croí spíonach

Jane Hirshfield

 

My Species

even
a small purple artichoke
boiled
in its own bittered
and darkening
waters
grows tender,
grows tender and sweet
patience, I think,
my species
keep testing the spiny leaves
the spiny heart

~ Jane Hirshfield ~

(The Beauty)

Mealbhacáin Ghlas-Stríocacha

Luíonn siad
i ngort faoi réaltaí.
Luíonn i ngort faoin mbáisteach.
Faoin ngrian.

Tá daoine áirithe
ar an gcuma sin leis -
mar a bheadh pictiúr
faoi cheilt laistiar de phictiúr eile.

Meáchan gan choinne
ina chomhartha aibíochta.

Green-Striped Melons

They lie
under stars in a field.
They lie under rain in a field.
Under sun.

Some people
are like this as well --
like a painting
hidden beneath another painting.

An unexpected weight
the sign of their ripeness.
 

~ Jane Hirshfield ~

(Alaska Quarterly, Fómhar & Geimhreadh, 2008)