Modern Czech Poetry/February

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For works with similar titles, see February.
Modern Czech Poetry (1920)
translated by Paul Selver
February by Karel Toman
Karel Toman2586381Modern Czech Poetry — February1920Paul Selver

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3. ÚNOR.

Kdo ticho miluješ a samotu
a v lesích hlubokých a v míru sněžných polí
nasloucháš rytmu života,
zda někdy neslyšíš
hlas hlubin?



Zní z dálky karneval vražd, krve, umírání.
Mlčení země bolí.
Však dole
tep srdce chvěje se a skrytý pramen z temnot
dere se k světlu.

A píseň mladých vod
tvé srdce opije a hlavu štěstím zmámí,
že v zoufalství snad, ve víře však nejsme sami.

Měsíce“ (1914—18).

3. FEBRUARY.

Thou who adorest peace and solitude
And amid depth of woods, and calm of snowclad meadows
Hearkenest to the beat of life,
Dost thou not ever hear
Voice of the depths?

Far carnivals of slaughter, blood and death are heard.
Earth's muteness is of woe.
But below
The heart-beat stirs, and from the gloom a hidden well
Thrusts itself lightwards.

And tunes young waters chant
Quicken thy heart, and daze thy thoughts with joy that we
Though in despair, yet not alone in hope can be.

“The Months” (1914—18).

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1970, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 53 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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