Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Rui Cóias

You’ll never succeed in completing

You’ll never succeed in completing
your quest, even if fortune is on your side,
nor will study be your exaltation, though wise men inspire you,
nor will talent help you, or consolation calm your yearning,
and even if you had love you wouldn’t be free.
Not even the prophet dictating verses will have disciples,
since the scribes will never grasp his deepest regret,
nor will grace avail the young man, who’s sure to lose it,
nor will you remember the river you once christened
if you don’t first see it beneath the mist.
So where are you going that I should devoutly follow?
Will we cut across the country dotted by dunes as by tombstones
when in the distance the two of us brightly shine – the
two of us with solemn smiles harboring silence?
Far from what we’d ever think would be allowed,
far from imagining ourselves under an ill-omened star,
what’s going to happen we’ll soon know:
– we often had to wait the longest time for beauty,
but only she lets us take fleeting advantage of the world
and pass, with that blind regret, beyond it.

You’ll never succeed in completing

Nem a demanda conseguirás
que se acabe – mesmo que a ti a fortuna se confie,
nem o estudo será para teu gáudio – ainda que dos sábios inspirado,
nem te assistirá o talento e o consolo abrandará o teu anseio,
nem que fosse o amor podias viver livremente.
E nem mesmo o profeta ditando versos terá discípulos
se jamais concilia os escrivães com a sua mágoa,
nem o jovem será de graça favorecido – pois ela o trairá,  
nem o rio que outrora baptizaste lembrarás
se sob a névoa o não vires primeiro.  
Donde ides então para que vos siga piamente    
– acaso atalharemos o país de cerradas dunas como campas,
quando na distância os dois brilharmos – os
dois entre solenes risos de guardar silêncio?
Longe do que pensaríamos algum dia consentido,  
longe de nos julgarmos sob funesta sina,  
do que irá passar-se brevemente o saberemos:  
– muitas vezes soubemos quanto a beleza tarda,
mas só ela tolera dispormos do mundo fugazmente  
e com essa cega mágoa ir mais além.
Close

You’ll never succeed in completing

You’ll never succeed in completing
your quest, even if fortune is on your side,
nor will study be your exaltation, though wise men inspire you,
nor will talent help you, or consolation calm your yearning,
and even if you had love you wouldn’t be free.
Not even the prophet dictating verses will have disciples,
since the scribes will never grasp his deepest regret,
nor will grace avail the young man, who’s sure to lose it,
nor will you remember the river you once christened
if you don’t first see it beneath the mist.
So where are you going that I should devoutly follow?
Will we cut across the country dotted by dunes as by tombstones
when in the distance the two of us brightly shine – the
two of us with solemn smiles harboring silence?
Far from what we’d ever think would be allowed,
far from imagining ourselves under an ill-omened star,
what’s going to happen we’ll soon know:
– we often had to wait the longest time for beauty,
but only she lets us take fleeting advantage of the world
and pass, with that blind regret, beyond it.

You’ll never succeed in completing

You’ll never succeed in completing
your quest, even if fortune is on your side,
nor will study be your exaltation, though wise men inspire you,
nor will talent help you, or consolation calm your yearning,
and even if you had love you wouldn’t be free.
Not even the prophet dictating verses will have disciples,
since the scribes will never grasp his deepest regret,
nor will grace avail the young man, who’s sure to lose it,
nor will you remember the river you once christened
if you don’t first see it beneath the mist.
So where are you going that I should devoutly follow?
Will we cut across the country dotted by dunes as by tombstones
when in the distance the two of us brightly shine – the
two of us with solemn smiles harboring silence?
Far from what we’d ever think would be allowed,
far from imagining ourselves under an ill-omened star,
what’s going to happen we’ll soon know:
– we often had to wait the longest time for beauty,
but only she lets us take fleeting advantage of the world
and pass, with that blind regret, beyond it.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère