A swallow imprisoned. Jaskółka uwięziona
środa, 20 maja 2009 18:40:44
There are some songs that seems to be a perfect art: with it's music, lyrics, that tells something important, with someone's perfect performance. Songs, that are unbeatable and lasts in memory forever. Yes, there are plenty of them, most of them we will never know, most of them we will never understand and feel — because they are in languages we don't know. Many of them will never get a chance for international appearance.
It hurts, when you can't share your feelings because of language barriers. I want to try to evade such a barrier, I want to show you the beauty of the song, that possessed me once and forever. A beautiful song with passion, with heart-touching music and one of the best lyrics I have ever heard. Sung first at Polish Opole Festival in 1973 by Stan Borys was a kind of striking, suddenly became one of the most recognizable songs in Poland. Music was composed by Janusz Kępski. The lyrics is a poem written by Kazimierz Szemioth titled “A swallow imprisoned in the church of St. Mary” (the most known St. Mary's church in Cracow, former capital of Poland). The poem is like a picture painted with words in our imagination. Try to hear an old live performance:
Or watch the fragment of original live performance from 1973. I just had to translate it. I had to. So, here it is:
A swallow imprisoned
Swallow – black dagger ripped from the wind's chest
Sudden anchor of sorrow dropped from the invisible ship
Trapped by cathedral in it's high-rised net of vault
Like death — stone of solid
Like sentence — square of naves
Swallow – a lighting in orphaned church
Like black scissors she cuts the fear that seizes her
Swallow – sister of storm, flying weep
Over peoples' heads, where care is wondering
Swallow – soaring sign, like symbol mind-elusive
Lured into the cathedral's chill – a warning and a prayer
She will never cross the white silence under leaden cloud
Nor low down her flight over golden spot of meadow
I get aghast of the moment that stole her freedom
Swallow – black brilliant thrown here by devil –
For perpetual whirling, for rustless torment
For not having the nest, for cursing the beauty
Kazimierz Szemioth, English translation: Artur Jurgawka
I know, that the song has been professionally translated by Wojciech Mann in 1974 and Stan Borys sang it in English many times. Are there any recordings of such performance? I hope so. Where to find them, or at least this translation? I don't know, if you know, please, drop me a line.
There are several amateur translations of this song, most of them with significant mistakes and misunderstandings. I consider my translation give the best feeling and of the original (apart, that it's not designed for singing, it's a poem, not a song lyrics), but I also believe, it may be done better. Wojciech Mann did it better, I'm sure.
Lately “A swallow imprisoned” gain mass attention, sang in Polish edition of “I've got talent” by 11 years old girl, Klaudia Kulawik. It seems, that interpretation of the song was to difficult for her, but I'm sure, you will enjoy her strong, amazing voice. I hope, she will sing it again as an adult, experienced singer.
Cóż więcej powiedzieć. Słowa tej piosenki na wielu stronach w internecie pisane są ze słuchu i zawierają błędy typu „na prostokąt”, czy „wyrok nad prostotą”. Dla porządku poprawny (chyba!) tekst polski zamieszczam poniżej.
Tłumaczeń na angielski jest wiele, to chyba tekst, który prowokuje swoim pięknem do tego, żeby się z nim zmierzyć, a zarazem nie zawiera gier słownych, czy neologizmów, więc wydaje się w miarę prosty do oddania. Niestety, wiele tłumaczeń zawiera błędy i pomyłki, jak np. niezrozumienie słowa „odumarły”.
Jaskółka uwięziona
Jaskółka – czarny sztylet, wydarty z piersi wiatru
Nagła smutku kotwica z niewidzialnego jachtu
Katedra ją złowiła w sklepienia sieć wysoką
Jak śmierć — kamienna bryła
Jak wyrok — naw prostokąt.
Jaskółka – błyskawica w kościele odumarłym
Tnie jak czarne nożyce lęk, który ją ogarnia
Jaskółka – siostra burzy, żałoba fruwająca
Ponad głowami ludzi, w których się troska błąka
Jaskółka – znak podniebny, jak symbol nieuchwytna
Zwabiona w chłód katedry, przestroga i modlitwa
Nie przetnie białej ciszy pod chmurą ołowianą
Lotu swego nie zniży nad łąki złotą plamą
Przeraża mnie ta chwila, która jej wolność skradła
Jaskółka – czarny brylant wrzucony tu przez diabła
Na wieczne wirowanie, na bezszelestną mękę
Na gniazda niezaznanie, na przeklinanie piękna
Kazimierz Szemioth
Komentarze
Niezarejestrowany użytkownik # wtorek, 16 czerwca 2009 09:30:46
Niezarejestrowany użytkownik # sobota, 18 września 2010 15:02:55