10 July 2006

Ma Mignonne

In Douglas Hofstadter's extraordinary book Le ton beau de Marot he presents multiple translations of a 16th century french poem, and challenges readers to try their hands at their own translation.
You can find many attempts on the web, here's my mine (if any one out there *ever* googles their way to this page, please let me know!)











A Une Damoysell Malade
Clement Marot

To a poorly little girl
Botogol

Ma mignonne,
Je vous donne
Le bon jour;
Le séjour
C'est prison.
Guérison
Recouvrez,
Puis ouvrez
Votre porte
Et qu'on sorte
Vitement,
Car Clément
Le vous mande.
Va, friande
De ta bouche,
Qui se couche
En danger
Pour manger
Confitures;
Si tu dures
Trop malade,
Couleur fade
Tu prendras,
Et perdras
L'embonpoint.
Dieu te doint
Santé bonne,
Ma mignonne

Princess mine,
Just a line
t'say 'hello';
You're so low
Jailed all day.
That I say
Get well soon!
Leave the room
Walk outside,
- door is wide -.
Run, even,
Uncle Stephen
Tells you so.
Out you go
Cure your ill
have your fill
of bread 'n' jam.
Or - I am
Warning you -
If your flu
Lingers on
You'll be wan
Pale and thin
Haggard skin.
Trust in me
God will see
You'll be fine,
Princess mine.

Here's a great discussion of Hofstadter and his works

09 July 2006

Getting Started

There are two sorts of 'first posts' that people make to their blogs:
- postings that self-consciously refer to themselves as being a 'first post'
- and postings that don't.

It would be intersting to create a list of all first-posts that don't refer to themelves.