20 SHORTPOEMS

from

CAPITALOFPAIN
by

PaulEluard
translatedby

MARYANNCAWS PATRICIATERRY NANCYKLINE

individuallyavailableforanyonewhowantstoanyofreadthem

SEQUENCE Forbrilliantdaysoftopsyturvyjoy Easylivingonthetastesofcolors Feastingonloveforthefunofit Foropeninghereyesatthelastinstant Shehasarealsoftspot. INVENTION Therighthandletssandslipthrough. Alltransformationsarepossible. Faroff,thesunsharpensonthestonesitshastetofinish. Describingthelandscapematterslittle, Justthepleasinglengthofaharvest. Formytwoeyesabrightness Likewaterandfire. Whatistheroleoftheroot? Despairhasseveredallitslinks Raisinghishandstoitshead. Seven,four,two,one, Inthestreetahundredwomen Iwon'tseeagain. Theartoflove,liberalart, theartofdyingwell, theartofthinking, incoherentart,theartofsmoking theartofpleasure,medievalart, decorativeart,theartofreasoning, theartofreasoningwell, theartofpoetry,mechanicalart, eroticart,theartofbeingagrandfather, theartofdancing,theartofseeing, theartofcharm,theartofthecaress, Japaneseart,theartofplaying, theartofeating,theartoftorturing. ButI'veneverfoundwhatIwriteinwhatIlove. 2

SEQUENCE Tosleep,withthemooninoneeye andthesunintheother, Loveinyourmouth, alovelybirdinyourhair, Adornedlikethefields, thewoods,theroutes,thesea, aroundthewholeworldsolovelyandadorned. Fleeacrossthelandscape Throughbranchesofsmokeandallthefruitsofthewind, Stonelegswithsandstockings, Heldbythewaist,alltheriver'smuscles, Andthelastconcernonafacetransformed. THEWORD Iamfortunate:mineisaneasybeauty. Islideovertheroofofthewinds, Islideovertheroofoftheseas I'msentimentalthesedays Inolongerknowwho'sincharge Inolongermovesilkoverice Iamill,laughterandpebbles InakedlylovewhateverismostChinese Ilovewhat'smostnakedthedartingofbirds IamoldbuthereI'mbeautiful Andtheshadowcomingdownfromthedepthsofthewindows Everyeveningsparesthedarkheartofmyeyes.

THERIVER Theriverthatflowsundermytongue, Thewaternooneimagines,mylittleboat, And,withthecurtainsdrawn,let'stalk.

THEONLYONE Shehadinthetranquilityofherbody Alittlesnowballthecolorofaneye Shehadonhershoulders Aspotofsilenceaspotofrose Alidonherbreast Herhandsandsupplesingingarches shatteredthelight Shesangthemomentswithoutfallingasleep. LIFE Asmileforthevisitors Whocomeoutoftheirhidingplaces Whenshegoesoutshesleeps. Eachdayshegetsupearlier Eachseasonmorenaked Fresher. Tofollowhergaze Shestandsononefoot. NOTHING Heplacesabirdonthetableandclosestheshutters. Hecombshishair,softerthanfeathersinhishands. Shetellsthefuture. Andit'suptometoverifyit. Bruisedheart,soulinpain, handsshattered,hairgonewhite, prisoners, thewaterweighsonmelikeanopenwound.

THEBIGUNINHABITABLEHOUSE Inthemiddleofanastonishingisland Thatherlimbstravel Sheisnourishedbyadazzledworld. Thefleshoneshowsofftothecurious Waitstherelikeharvests Tofallontheriverbanks. Knowingshe'llseefurther Hereyeswiderinthewindofherhands Sheimaginesthehorizonhasunbuckleditsbeltforher. ROUND Underasunsprungfromthelandscape Awomanbolts Herlegsskimpasthershadow Inherselfalonesheplacesthemostmysteriousofhopes Ifindhercredulousdoubtlessinlove Atthelocusofassembledpaths Oflightattentuatedtoapoint Andofimpossiblegestures Thegreatdooroftheface Withitsplansdiscussedadopted Emotionsbornofthought Thejourneydisguisedandthecomingofreconciliation. Thegreatdooroftheface Thevisionofpreciousgems Theshiftofweakestintostrongest.

TOBECAUGHTINTHETRAP It'sarestaurantlikeanyother. DoesthatmeanthatIdon'tlooklikeanyoneelse? Atallwomanbesidemeisbeatingeggswithherfingers. Atravelerplaceshisclothesonatableandaccostsme. He'swrong. Idon'tknowanymystery. Idon'tevenknowthemeaningoftheword:mystery. Ihaveneverlookedforanything, neverfoundanything, he'swrongtoinsist. Thestormwhichnowandthencomesoutofthemist turnsmyeyesandshoulders. Thenspacehasdoorsandwindows. ThetravelerdeclarestomethatI'mnolongerthesame. Nolongerthesame! Igatherupthedebrisfromallmymarvels, thisdebris. Ithrowtheminthestreamssolively, sofullofbirds. Thesea,thecalmseaisbetweenthem liketheskyinthelight. Thecolorstoo,ifyouspeaktomeaboutcolors, Iamnotlookinganymore. Speaktomeofshapes,Ihavearealneedofdisquiet. Tallwoman,speaktomeofshapes, orelseIfallasleepandleadaremarkablelife, myhandscaughtinmyheadandmyheadinmymouth, inmymouthwellclosed,aninteriorlanguage.

AWOMANINLOVE Sheisstandingonmyeyelids Andherhairmingleswithmine, Shehastheshapeofmyhands, Shehasthecolorofmyeyes, Shedissolvesintomyshadow Likeastoneagainstthesky. Hereyesarealwaysopen Andshedoesn'tletmesleep. Herdreamsindaylight Causethesunstodriftaway, Makemelaugh,weepandlaugh, SpeakwhenIhavenothingtosay. HABITS Allmygirlfriendsarehunchbacks: Theylovetheirmothers. Allmyanimalsareobligatory, Theyhavefurniturefeet Andwindowhands. Thewindisbentoutofshape, Itneedsasuitmadetomeasure, Measureless. That'swhy Itellthetruthwithouttellingit.

INTHECYLINDEROFTRIBULATIONS Sweepmeaway,world,andI'llhavememories. Thirtygirlswithopaquebodies, thirtygirlswhointheimaginationaregoddesses, drawnearthemanatrestinthelittlevalleyoflunacy. Themaninquestionisgamblingfervently. Heplaysagainsthimselfandwins. Thethirtygirlsquicklytireofthis. Gambling'scaressesarenotthoseoflove, andthesightisn'tnearlyascharming,seductive,andagreeable. I'mtalkingaboutthirtygirlswithopaquebodies andonehappygambler. Thereisalso,inacityofwoolandfeathers, abirdonthebackofasheep. Infables,thesheepleadsthebirdtoparadise. Therearealsopersonifiedcenturies, thegrandeurofpresentcenturies, thedizzinessofforbiddenyearsandlostfruits. Sweepmeaway,memories, andI'llhaveeyesasroundastheworld.

GOSPELSILENCE Wearesleepingwithredangels whoshowusthedesertwithoutsmallletters andthosesweetdesolateawakenings. Wearesleeping. Asinglewingdestroysus,evasion, wehavewheelsolderthanthefeathersflownawayandlost, withwhichtoexplorethegraveyardsofslowness, theonlylust. Thebottlewesurroundwiththebandagesofourwounds resistsnolonging. Let'stakethehearts,thebrains, themusclesofrage, let'staketheinvisibleflowersofthepalegirls andchildrenjoinedtogether, let'stakethehandofmemory, let'sclosetheeyesofrecollection, atheoryoftreesdeliveredbythethieves strikesusanddividesus,allthepiecesaregood. Whichwillgatherthemup:terror,suffering,ordisgust? Letussleep,mybrothers. Theinexplicablechapterhasbecomeincomprehensible. Giantsgobyexhalingterriblelaments,giganticlaments, lamentsofthekindthedawnwantstoutter, thedawnnownolongerabletocomplain, sincethen,mybrothers,sincethen.

PERSPECTIVE Athousandsavages Arefixingforafight. Theycarryweapons, Theyhavemightycourage Astheyslowlyformaline Tofaceathousandgreentrees Which,despiteappearances, Stillvaluealltheirleaves. [UNDERTHEREDTHREAT] Undertheredthreatofasword, undoingherhair, whichguideskissesandshowsthespotwherekissesrest, sheislaughing. Onhershoulder, ennuihasdozedoff. Ennuicanonlybeitselfwithher, therashone, wholaughsmadlyasday'send dispersingredsunsbeneathbridges,bluemoons, fadedflowersofablasbouquet. Sheislikeagreatwagonofwheat andherhandsgerminateandstickouttheirtongues. Theroadsthatshetowsinherwakeareherpets andsheclosestheireyeswithhersovereignsteps.

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AMONGTHEHAPPYFEW Askyoftearsinhiseyes. Neitherhiseyelidsnorhishands Makeitdarkenough forhispaintohidethere. Hewillgotoask TheCouncilofVisages Ifhe'sstillcapable Ofrunningafterhisyouth Andofbeingthepilotofthewind Intheplains It'samatterofexperience: Hetakesholdofhislifebyitsmiddle. Onlythetwosidesofthescales...

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[INTHEMIST] Inthemistwhereglassesofwaterclatteragainsteachother, wheresnakescomelookingformilk, amonumentofwoolandsilkdisappears. Itistherethat, onthelastnight, bringingtheirweakness, allthewomencamein. Theworldwasn'tmadefortheirceaselesswalkingaround, theirlangorousgait, theirsearchforlove. GreatcountryofbronzeoftheBelleEpoque, alongyourpathsintheirgentleslope,disquiethasdeserted. We'llhavetodowithoutgesturessweeterthansmell, eyesbrighterthanpower, therewillbecries,tears,swearing, andthegnashingofteeth. Themenwholiedownwillnolongerbeanymore thanthefathersofforgetting. Attheirfeetdespairwillhavethelovelyaspect ofvictorieswithnotomorrow, haloesweputonunderthebeautifulbluesky. Oneday,theywillbetiredofit, onedaytheywillbeangry,needlesoffire, masksofpitchandofmustardandwomenwillrise, withdangeroushands,witheyesofperdition, withadevastatedbody,radiantineverymovement. And,thesunwillfloweroncemore, likethemimosa.

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[YOURMOUTHWITHLIPSOFGOLD] Yourmouthwithlipsofgoldisnotforlaughs Andthemeaningofyourhaloedwordsissoperfect Thatinmynightsofyears,andyouthanddeath InallthesoundsoftheworldIhearyourvoice. Inthissilkendawnwherethecoldlingers Imperiledlustwantstogobacktosleep, Inthehandsofthesunallthebodieswalking Shiverattheideaoffindingtheirheartsagain. Memoriesofgreenwood,fogintowhichIplunge I'veclosedmyeyesonmyself,Iamyours. MywholelifelistenstoyouandIcannotrefuse Theterribleleisureyourlovecreatesforme.

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