J.V. Foix

És quan dormo que hi veig clar

Language: catalan

Translations: english (When I sleep, then I see clearly), spanish (Cuando duermo veo claro), french (C’est quand je dors que j’y vois clair)

És quan dormo que hi veig clar

És quan plou que ballo sol
Vestit d’algues, or i escata,
Hi ha un pany de mar al revolt
I un tros de cel escarlata,
Un ocell fa un giravolt
I treu branques una mata,
El casalot del pirata
És un ample gira-sol.
És quan plou que ballo sol
Vestit d’algues, or i escata.

És quan ric que em veig gepic
Al bassal de sota l’era,
Em vesteixo d’home antic
I empaito la masovera,
I entre pineda i garric
Planto la meva bandera;
Amb una agulla saquera
Mato el monstre que no dic.
És quan ric que em veig gepic
Al bassal de sota l’era.

És quan dormo que hi veig clar
Foll d’una dolça metzina,
Amb perles a cada mà
Visc al cor d’una petxina,
Só la font del comellar
I el jaç de la salvatgina,
—O la lluna que s’afina
En morir carena enllà.
És quan dormo que hi veig clar
Foll d’una dolça metzina.

Translations:

Language: english

When I sleep, then I see clearly

When it rains I dance alone
Dressed in algae, gold, and fishscales.
There’s a stretch of sea at the turning
And a piece of scarlet sky.
A bird whirls in flight
And a bush brings forth branches,
The pirate’s old mansion
Is a broad sunflower.
When it rains I dance alone
Dressed in algae, gold, and fishscales.

When I laugh I look hunchbacked
In the pool beneath the threshing floor.
I dress like an old gentleman,
I chase the custodian’s wife,
And between pinegrove and oak
I plant my flag:
With a sack-needle I kill
The monster I never name.
When I laugh I look hunchbacked
In the pool beneath the threshing floor.

When I sleep, then I see clearly
Maddened by sweet poison
With pearls in both hands
I lived in a shellfish’s heart
I’m a fountain on the canyon floor
And a wild beast’s bed
— Or the waning moon
As it dies beyond the ridge.
When I sleep, then I see clearly
Maddened by sweet poison.

Language: spanish

Cuando duermo veo claro

Cuando llueve bailo solo:
visto de algas, oro, escamas;
se ve el mar desde el recordo
y, un trozo, el cielo escarlata,
da una voltereta un pájaro,
salen ramas de una mata,
es un amplio girasol
la casucha del pirata.
Cuando llueve bailo solo,
visto de algas, oro, escamas.

Cuando río tengo chepa
en el charco de la era;
de hombre antiguo me visto,
persigo a la masovera,
por pinos y matorrales
luego planto mi bandera;
mato al monstruo que no digo
con una aguja saquera.
Cuando río tengo chepa
en el charco de la era.

Cuando duermo veo claro,
de dulce ponzoña loco,
con perlas en cada mano
vivo en una concha solo,
soy la fuente del barranco,
de salvajina reposo,
—o la luna que se afina
al ocultarse allá al fondo.
Cuando duermo veo claro
de dulce ponzoña loco.

Language: french

C’est quand je dors que j’y vois clair

Quand il pleut je danse seul
Vêtu d’or, d’algues et d’écailles.
Un pan de mer est aigité
Un morceau de ciel est écarlate.
Un oiseau fait la pirouette
Et d’un buisson sortent des branches.
Le repaire du pirate
Est un large tournesol.
Quand il pleut je danse seul
Vêtu d’or, d’algues et d’écailles.

Quand je ris je me vois gibbique
A la mare dessous l’aire,
Je m’habille en home antique
Et j’assaille la fermière,
Entre pinède et garrigue
Là, je plante ma bannière.
D’une aiguille bourrelière,
Je tue le monstre que je tais.
Quand je ris je me vois gibbique
A la mare dessous l’aire.

C’est quand je dors que j’y vois clair
Fou d’un délicieux poison,
Des perles à chaque main,
Je vis au cœur d’un coquillage,
Je suis la source de montagne
Le nid de la sauvagine
—Ou la lune qui s’affine
Pour mourir crête au-delà—
C’est quand je dors que j’y vois clair
Fou d’un délicieux poison.

J.V. Foix

photo © Fundació J.V. Foix

* 28.01.1893, Sarrià, Spain
† 29.01.1987, Barcelona, Spain

Josep Vicenç Foix i Mas (1893-1987) was born in Sarrià. He began his law career, but abandoned it due to his literary vocation. In 1917 Joaquim Folguera incorporated him into La Revista (1917-1919) and from then on his career as a publicist lasted until the Civil War as a contributor to various literary media and magazines. Of particular note is his incorporation, when the newspaper became catalanist, into the editorial staff of La Publicitat (1922-1936), where he collaborated daily under the pseudonym "Focius". In 1947 he published his first poetic work, Sol, i de dol, in which Foix combined the Catalan humanistic tradition with the newest literary currents, which he adapted with a singular originality. He was definig himself as a "poetry researcher". In the postwar period it is when he presents his work in verse (On he deixat els claus, 1953; Onze Nadals i un Cap d’Any, 1960) and two new deliveries of his diary of 1918 (Del “Diari 1918”, 1956 and L’estrella d’En Perris, 1963). In 1964 he compiled the volume Obres poètiques, which contains his work of creation published until then and a new miscellaneous book of poetry in verse, Desa aquests llibres al calaix de baix. Despite having stopped writing in 1973, it is in the last three years of his life when he receives recognitions and tributes, such as the Ciutat de Barcelona Prize, Premi d’Honor de les Lletres Catalanes, the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the National Prize for Spanish Literature, among others. His last book, Cròniques d’ultrason, composed of prose poems, appeared in 1985. He died at his home on January 29, 1987, the day after his 94th birthday.

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