Carnac. The Alignment of Menec

Carnac. Centre du ciel et de la mer

Beaucoup d’hommes sont venus,
Sont restés. Terre d’ossements,
Poussière d’ossements.

Il y avait donc
L’appel de Carnac.

Comment chantaient-ils,
Ceux des menhirs?

Peut-être est-ce là
Qu’ils avaient moins peur.

Centre du ciel et de la mer,
De la terre aussi,
La lumière le dit.

Chantant, eux,
Pas loin de la mer,
Pour être admis par la lumière.

Regardant la mer,
Lui tournant le dos,
Implorant la terre.

Eugène Guillevic

Many men have come,
Have stayed. Land of bones,
Powdered bones.

Thus there was
the call of Carnac.

How did they sing,
The menhir-people?

Perhaps it was there
They knew less fear.

Centre of the sky and of the sea,
Of the land as well,
The light says it.

Singing, they were,
Not far from the sea,
To be let in by the light.

Beholding the sea,
Turning their back to it,
Imploring the land.

Eugène Guillevic. Translated by John Montague

Tara

What did you get for cleaning your hands?
A few broad beans and a word from an ass?
There was no sword on the road to Moab
And I can’t see your beanstalk, Jack.
Show me your broken heart.

gjrk

Silbury and West Kennet from East Kennet Long Barrow

East Kennet Long Barrow

Love me,
will you,
drape your arms around my chest.

Keep me warm
while I sleep,
dreaming of my children to the West.

Do not carve me out
with a desperate hand
or avaricious eye.

But if you must,
keep your voices down
so that I can hear their hearts are still beating.

© Copyright Persephone Vandegrift 2008