This column is the third in a series by Dr. Barnett Zumoff. The selections were chosen by Zumoff in response to our asking him to let us know which of his countless translations of Yiddish poetry into English is his very personal favorite. He told us that there was no single one, but that he did have three favorites. The final poem in the series is by Tsilye (Celia) Dropkin.
Tsu a Yunger Dikhterin
Vos iz derfun, az dayn blik dringt tif arayn in zakhn?
Dayn harts, dayn harts shloft.
Un az er iz gekumen
Un du host mit klore blikn
A kuk geton oyf im, vi oyf a zun
Vos iz derfun?
Darfst dray mol, vi ikh, brenen in gehenem
Oyf a fayer fun libe —
Lang, langzam brenen;
Darfst dray mol, vi ikh
In gehenem gelaytert vern;
Darfst libn on seykhl, on shtolts—
Libn bizn toyt!
Dan, ven du vest dem toyt
In libe derkenen
Shrayb libe-lider!
To a Young Poetess
What good is it
That your gaze pierces deeply into things?
Your heart, your heart is as asleep.
And when he came
And you gazed clearly
At him as at a sun —
What good did it do?
You have to burn three times like me
In hell in the fire of love —
Burn long and slowly;
You have to be purified three times
in hell, like me;
You have to love unwisely, without pride,
Love unto death;
Then when you recognize death in love
Then write love poetry.
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