... My sorrow self of my sorrow.

[dado]

Bonjour, Comment traduire en français les vers suivants:
Hello, How translate in french the following verses:

"Poor Narcissus
My sorrow
Self of my sorrow. "

Extract from the poem titled "Narcissus" , in the collection "After Lorca" by Jack Spicer (circa 1955).

Mon problème est "self" dans ce contexte. Est ce un substantif , un verbe , ou une expression idiomatique?

My problem is "self" is this context. Is it a substantive, a verb or an idiomatic expression?

Par avance Merci,
By advance Thank you very much

 

[judkinsc]

It could refer to something outside the three lines that you've provided.

I'd say it simply intensifies "sorrow," without knowing the entire poem. "Poor Narcissus, the one for whom I sorrow...the essence of my sorrow..."

 

[panjandrum]

"Poor Narcissus
My sorrow
Self of my sorrow. "
My problem is "self" is this context. Is it a substantive, a verb or an idiomatic expression?

I would say it is not a verb, not an idiomatic expression.

As judkinsc said, it suggests that someone, perhaps Narcissus, is the essence of my sorrow. Maybe even the personification of my sorrow.

 

[hald]

Just a guess : est-ce que l'utilisation de "self" ne serait pas à relier avec l'égocentrisme dont Narcisse est en général le symbole ?

 

[judkinsc]

Just a guess : est-ce que l'utilisation de "self" ne serait pas à relier avec l'égocentrisme dont Narcisse est en général le symbole ?

Most likely. Narcissus could be talking to himself in the poem, which would make even more sense.

 

[dado]

Hello to all,
And thank you for your help.
The three cited verses is the last stanza of the poem ( all 6 stanzas of 3 or 4 verses, total 20 lines). All along the poem Spicer "speaks" to Narcissus using "you" or "your".

So I conclude (temporarly) that the last stanza is a meditative thought of Spicer concerning his own condition, his own loving situation, in relation with Narcissus.

The transaltion shall be (for the moment)
"Pauvre Narcisse
Ma tristesse / douleur (I have not chosen)
Nait de ma douleur/trsitesse".

Kind regards
dado