EVERY NIGHT
I SEND YOU FLOWERS
TANKA
GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK
IN RESPONSE TO THE ART OF ODILON REDON
Gabriel Rosenstock is a bilingual poet, tankaist,
novelist, haikuist, short story writer, playwright,
essayist and translator.
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Published in association with:
Cross-Cultural Communications
239 Wynsum Avenue Merrick, NY 11566-4725/USA
Tel: 516/868-5635 Fax: 516/379-1901
Email: cccpoetry@aol.com
Is mian leis an údar buíochas a ghabháil leis an
gComhairle Ealaíon as Sparánacht
a chur ar fáil dó a chuirfidh ar a chumas tanka Gaeilge a
chleachtadh agus a shaothrú.
The author gratefully acknowledges receipt of an Arts
Council bursary to enable him to pursue
ongoing experiments in Irish-language tanka.
3
EVERY NIGHT I SEND YOU
FLOWERS
TANKA
GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK
IN RESPONSE TO THE ART OF ODILON REDON
5
I
seans nach eol duit
gur uaimse a tháinig
blátha fiáine seo na hoíche

níl fhios agam féin é

seans gur uaitse a tháinig – domsa
perhaps You do not know
they came from me
wild flowers of the night

i do not know myself

perhaps they came from You – for me
7
II
siúil leis an mBúda
i measc na mbláth
oidí dósan is dúinne

a gcumhracht is a ndath

milis a meath gach nóiméad
walk with the Buddha
among flowers
his teachers and ours

their perfume and their hues

moments of sweet decay
9
III
is labhair an abhainn
i nguth nár chualamar
leis na cianta

is foirmíodh gach briathar

go domhain im’ chroí féin
and the river spoke
in a tongue we have not heard
in over a thousand years

each word formed

in the depths of my own heart
11
IV
cá ngabham anois
an domhan ar bharr lasrach
á leá os ár gcomhair

san fholús sin

ba chliabhán dúinn fadó
where is there left to go
a world in flames
see, it fades before our eyes

melts into the nothingness

that cradled our beginning
13
V
bhí an uile ní
i súil mo ghrása
ó thús ama

fíorghrá ag bláthú

leis na cianta gan fhios dúinn
in my beloved’s eye
all of creation
since the beginning of time

love takes aeons

to blossom and be known
15
VI
seolaim mo thaibhrimh chugat
is taibhrimh faoi thaibhrimh
grianghraif de m’aigne

á réaladh go mall

id’ thaibhrimhse go léir
i send You dreams
dreams about dreams
photographs of my mind

slowly developing

in Your endless dreams
17
VII
níor fhágamar riamh gairdín Dé
istigh ionainn atá
ceansaigh beach mhallaithe

na smaointe áiféiseacha

is féach, a ghrá – tá sé ann
we never left god’s garden
it lies within us
still the frantic bee

of maddening thought

and find it there, beloved
19
VIII
má fhágaim inniu nó amárach
seal gairid a bheidh ann
chun aer neimhe a análú

fillfead arís is arís eile

chun tú a adhradh
if i leave today or tomorrow
it will be but for a short while
to breathe the air of heaven

returning again

and again to adore You
21
IX
is tú dúchas
na mbláthanna go léir
saol na rún

ag dúiseacht ionam

peiteal ar pheiteal ar pheiteal
You are
what every flower is inside
You are the awakening

of my secret life

petal by petal by petal
23
X
uaireanta cuimhníonn an cholainn
uirthi féin
is taisceann an chuimhne sin

lig di mhuise

ní mhairfidh an chuimhne i bhfad
sometimes the body remembers
it is flesh after all
and holds on to that memory

let it be awhile

it will forget all distractions
25
XI
nochtraí a chuala mé
i gcríochaibh i gcéin
d’aithníos na nótaí ann

cá hionadh san, a chuid

cumadh gach nóta duitse
a nocturne once heard
in a distant land
the notes were familiar

no wonder, beloved

each note was written for You
27
XII
seolaim ar an ngaoth iad
mo chuid féileacán – iniúchóirí -
blátha atá foirfe

ní duitse iad, a chumann

músclaíonn mion-locht atrua ionat
i send them out on the wind
butterfly inspectors
flowers that are perfect

are not for You: one tiny flaw

awakens Your compassion
29
XIII
uaireanta ní bhíonn ionam
ach taise gan bhrí
nach daonna ar fad é

cuimhne ar smaointe faoi bhláth

a roinneas leatsa tráth, a chuid
sometimes i ’m nothing
but a wraith
something not quite human

a memory of flowering thoughts

once shared with You
31
XIV
nuair a phiocaimse blátha dhuit
bíonn nóiníní i gcónaí ann
a ghrian bheag lonrach

soilsigh ár laethanta

go brách na breithe
when i pick flowers for You
there are always daisies among them
tiny brilliant suns

illuminate our days

forever and ever
33
XV
táim im’ chlogaire
ar do shon
buaileann na cloig de ló is d’oíche

a shearc, an cur isteach ort é

nílim in ann stopadh
i have become
a bell ringer for You
day and night the bell tolls

does it keep You from sleep

i cannot, will not, cease
35
XVI
nochtann blátha
is léiriú ar d’anam iad
tá dream ann nach bhfeiceann iad

nach eol dóibh faoina gcumhracht

conas san in ainm Chroim
flowers appear
a manifestation of Your soul
some folks do not even see them

or know of their scent

how on earth can this be
37
XVII
tá ár mbád ullamh
bád an fholúis
ní mór dúinn imeacht anois

cén mhoill a bheadh orainn

féach, tá an ghealach réidh
our boat is ready
the boat of emptiness
we must go now

why wait, beloved

see, the moon awaits us
39
XVIII
mo shúile dúnta
chonac thú
is do shúilese dúnta

is aon sinn sa ríocht sin

radharc againn ar a chéile de shíor
with eyes closed
i have seen You
You, with eyes closed

we are one in that realm

and see each other night and day
41
XIX
seo linn ag siúl tríd an mbaile seo
ní fheicfear sinn
ní chloisfear sinn

má chloisfear

cé a thuigfeadh ár ngrá neamhshaolta
come, let’s walk through this village
no one will see us
no one will hear us

and if they do

who can make sense of unearthly love
43
XX
gluaiseann an uile ní sa ghrá
as ar cruthaíodh iad
ar a bhfillfidh siad

mura mbeadh sé amhlaidh

chuirfeadh blátha inár gcoinne
all things move in love
are created out of love
return to love

if it were not so

flowers would revolt against us
45
XXI
cad iad do mhianta
do chuid riachtanas
cad d’fhéadfainn a thabhairt duit

nár thug éinne cheana dhuit

néal ag taisteal
tell me Your desires
Your needs
what can i give You

that no man has ever given You before

a passing cloud
47
XXII
bhís ar strae
i ndán ón meánaois
tháinig mé i gcabhair ort

is mian leat dul ar ais ann

ná téir ann leat féin
You were lost
in a medieval poem
i rescued You

now You wish to return

do not venture there alone
49
XXIII
seolaim blátha chugat gach oíche
ina bhféileacáin chumhra
ar snámh faoi ghealach imníoch

is ligeann a scíth

ar do philiúr bán
every night i send You flowers
scented butterflies
floating under an anxious moon

until they rest

on Your pale pillow
51
XXIV
a shearc
roinnim mo bhuairt
leis an gcrann

tosnaíonn na duilleoga ag titim

ceann ar cheann
beloved
to the tree
i whisper my sorrow

one by one, look

leaves begin to tumble
53
XXV
t’rom do lámh
tá aigéin á lorg agam
caithfidh siad bheith liath

agus fuar

dár ndeora goirte araon
take my hand
i’m in search of oceans
they must be grey

and cold

for all our burning tears
55
XXVI
dúnaimse mo shúile
chun tú a fheiscint
féach, taoi ann i gcónaí

osclaím mo shúile

tá tú i ngach áit faoin spéir
i close my eyes
to see You
look, You are always there

i open my eyes

You are everywhere under the sun
57
XXVII
greanadh as tost thú
is leáigh arís i dtost
cá bhfuilir anois

i measc chama an ime

is sailchuacha go brách
from silence You were carved
and melted into silence
where are You now

among buttercups

and primroses forever
59
XXVIII
tá do bheathaisnéis scríofa agam
gan bhriathra
gan phoncaíocht

ó thús go deireadh

solas íon sin uile
i have written Your biography
without words
or punctuation

from start to finish

nothing but pure light
61
XXIX
im’ bhrionglóidí
seo chugam as réaltbhuíonta thú
crithloinnir ríméadach

dá bhféadfainn frídín díot

a phéinteáil anocht
You visit me in dreams
emerging from constellations
shimmering in ecstasy

if only i could paint

a fraction of You tonight
63
XXX
ná bíodh eagla ort roimh an gcamhaoir
ní faic é
níl ann ach sinn féin

Tusa ionamsa

mise Ionatsa, a shearc
fear not the dawn
for it is nothing
but ourselves

You in me

i in You, beloved
65
XXXI
nuair a ghlaonn tú orm
tagaimse chugat
ní mar scáil

ach mar dhuine

atá saor ó gach scáil
when You call to me
i come to You
not as a shadow

but as someone

free of all shadows
67
XXXII
bíodh sé seo agat mar samatha*
an tsúil ag imeacht
ó pheiteal go peiteal

go stadann fá dheoidh

i gcroílár an fhlóis
let this then be Your samatha*
slowly the gaze revolves
from petal to petal

then comes to a stop

in the flower’s core
*meditative quiescence in order to gain abilities that are used
to assist others
69
XXXIII
go mbronna an samatha seo agat
is tú faoi gheasa
ag imlínte duilleoige

síocháin ort

ríméad gan teorainn
may Your samatha
Your absorption
in the contours of a leaf

bring You peace

and utter joy
71
XXXIV
bíodh an uile ní ina samatha dhuit
an féileacán giongach fiú
glacann a scíth

go han-chiúin ann féin

filleann a sciatháin
let all things be Your samatha
for the restless butterfly too
comes to rest

ever so quietly in itself

folding its wings
73
XXXV
dá n-athródh draoi
nó asarlaí mé
im’ bhrúid, a stór . . .

táimid gafa lastall de shubstaint

lastall d’fhoirm, lastall dínn féin
even if a druid
or wizard should change me
into something unspeakable, beloved . . .

we’ve gone beyond substance

beyond form, beyond ourselves
75
XXXVI
i ngairdín
aigne Chuang-tzú
lorgaíomar a chéile

a shearc, an tAm i Láthair

ag eiteallaigh anois is choíche
in the garden
of Chuang-tzu’s mind
we looked for one another

beloved, the fluttering

of the Now as always
77
XXXVII
lig dom breathnú
inár ndiaidh tríotsa
is amach romhainn

is sa mhóimint seo

is tusa ann, a shearc
let me look with You
into the past
into the future

into this moment

that is You, beloved
79
XXXVIII
beannacht
na mbláth mbuan ort
de ló is d’oíche

do loinnirse

ina scáil orthu i gcónaí
the blessing of perennial flowers
be upon You
night and day

Your radiance

always mirroring theirs
81
XXXIX
tá an cuardach thart
dod’ lorg a bhíos le fada
is tuigim anois

go rímhaith an scéal

bhíse sa tóir ormsa
the search is over
all along i ’ve looked for You
and now i know

and know for sure

You’ve been looking for me
83
XL
tá d’ainm canta agam
ar mhíle sráid,
chugainn an trúbadóir, ar siad

is teitheann siad

dealg sa chroí gach amhrán grá
I ’ve sung Your name
in a thousand streets
the troubadour is here! they cry

and hide away

every song a thorn in the heart
85
XLI
cén fhaid a thógann sé
ar sholas na gealaí
an domhan a bhaint amach

ar bhriathra, a chuid,

do chroíse a bhaint amach
how long does it take
for moonlight
to reach the earth

for words, beloved,

to reach Your heart
87
XLII
tá mo chroí goidte ag mo rún geal
is curtha i bhfolach aici ar an sliabh
cá bhfuil mo chroí

crónán na gaoithe

éamh an philibín
my love has stolen my heart
and hidden it on the moors
where is my heart

soughing wind

cry of peewit
89
XLIII
tagadh – is imíodh – an t-am atá thart
an t-am atá le teacht
an t-am i láthair

beadsa farat

go Lá an Luain
let the past come – and go
the future come – and go
the present come – and go

i am with You

until the crack of doom
91
XLIV
a shearc
roinnim leis an gcrann
mo ríméad

nochtann bláthanna

i bhfaiteadh na súl
beloved
to the tree
I whisper my joy

one by one

blossoms appear
93
XLV
cén fhaid sa tóir ar a chéile sinn
i ngach aeráid
cnagann beach fhómhair

in aghaidh na fuinneoige

bhfuil an geimhreadh chugainn
how long have we searched for one another
in how many climes
an autumn bee thumps

against the window

is winter near
95
XLVI
tógfad uisceadán duit
roghnóimid na héisc sin
atá ag teacht led’ bhrionglóidí

féach orthu fad agus is mian leat

éisc nach gcodlóidh choíche
let’s build an aquarium
together we’ll choose fish
best suited to Your dreams

look as long as You like

fish that never sleep
97
XLVII
bíodh sé ann
nó ná bíodh
pé rud a bhí ann

ná bacaimis le nithe

is léir nó nach léir don aigne
it may have been there
it may not have been
whatever it was

why bother with things

of the mind seen and unseen
99
XLVIII
ceangail do chuid gruaige, a shearc
ceangail mise chomh maith
ceangail chomh foirfe sin mé

nach sleamhnóinn go deo

as an néal seo
bind Your hair, beloved
bind me while You are at it
bind me perfectly

that i may never escape

this glorious dream
101
XLIX
blátha a chuirim chugat
oíche i ndiaidh oíche
gealann siad an saol

fiafraíonn an chruinne di féin

cathain a bhí dorchadas ann
flowers i send You
night after night
to illuminate the world

the universe wonders

when last have we seen the dark