Re: poetry

On Tue, 19 Sep 2000, Matt McLauchlin wrote:

> Have you written any poetry in your conlangs?
>
> [snip two nice poems; I really liked the glass poem]
I once found a short stanza with the English description, "Walla-Walla
worship song". I liked it so much (the English translation) that I
wrote two more stanzas for Shemspreg. Here it is: first, the song
itself, the English translation, interlinearization, and a couple of
notes.

Comments welcome, but be gentle! It may not be great poetry, but it
speaks to me.


thevu leuk deyent

emlai soyo's thevu leuk deyent
kwim sekwes we ne;
the swe, the swe.

emlai soyo's arjint khelsh meldent
kwim awes we ne;
staa swe, staa swe.

emlai soyo's anju ardi puros
en cherdom egnint;
wer som weskwe.


Small Light Shining

They say there's a small light shining
that we don't see;
be prepared, be prepared.

They say there's a silver bell ringing
that we don't hear;
stand up, stand up.

They say there's a pinpoint of flame
burning in the heart;
heed it and live.


Interlinearization

0.  thevu leuk  dei   -ent
    small light shine -ptc

1.  e-    ml    -a    -i
    IMPF- say:0 -PASS -PAST

    so     =yo  es      thevu leuk  dei   -ent
    3s:NOM =SUB be:PRES small light shine -PTC

2.  kwi -m   sekw -es   we     ne
    REL -OBL see  -PRES 1p:NOM not

3.  the       swe  the       swe
    place:IMP REFL place:IMP REFL

4.  e-    ml    -a    -i
    IMPF- say:0 -PASS -PAST

    so     =yo  es      arjint khelsh meld  -ent
    3s:NOM =SUB be:pres silver bell   sound -PTC

5.  kwi -m   au       -es   we     ne
    REL -OBL perceive -PRES 1p:NOM not

6.  staa      swe  staa      swe
    stand:IMP REFL stand:IMP REFL

7.  e-    ml    -a    -i
    IMPF- say:0 -PASS -PAST

    so     =yo  es      anju   ardi  pur  -os
    3s:NOM =SUB be:PRES narrow point fire -GEN

8.  en cherd -om  egni -nt
    in heart -OBL burn -PTC

9.  wer               so -m   wes            =kwe
    pay.attention:IMP 3s -OBL become.animate =and


Notes

1.  The verbal word _emlai_ is technically a passive 'it is said', but
it has been translated into English with the epicene 'they' in this and
parallel lines.

The contraction of the verb _es_ to _'s_ is done for metrical reasons.

5.  In normal speech, the verb awes_ would more likely have been
rendered _aus_, but the full form of the tense suffix was used in
consideration of the meter.

Dirk

--
Dirk Elzinga
dirk.elzinga@m.cc.utah.edu