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József Attila: Woodcutter (Favágó in English)

Portre of József Attila

Favágó (Hungarian)

Vágom a fát hűvös halomba,
fényesül a görcse sikongva,
zúzmara hull szárnyas hajamra,
csiklándani benyúl nyakamba -
bársonyon futnak perceim.
 
Fönn, fönn a fagy baltája villog,
szikrádzik föld, ég, szem, a homlok,
hajnal suhint, forgács-fény röppen -
amott is vág egy s dörmög közben:
tövit töröm s a gallya jut.
 
- Ejh, döntsd a tőkét, ne siránkozz,
ne szisszenj minden kis szilánkhoz!
Ha odasújtsz körül a sorshoz,
az úri pusztaság rikoltoz -
a széles fejsze mosolyog.
 
1929. /nov./1931. febr.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://mek.niif.hu

Woodcutter (English)

I'm cutting logs, then pile aligning,

gnarls in the timber, squealing, shining,

hoarfrost falls on the wings of my hair

it tickles as it's touching me there -

and velvet-soft my moments run.

 

The axe of the frost's glinting up high,

sparkling the earth, sky, brow and the eye,

swish of the dawning, light-slivers fly -

another cutter grumbles nearby:

'tis bole I cut and get the twigs.

 

Hew capital, don't yammer again,

for every splinter don't hiss with pain!

If your strikes at fate fall close, they feel,

the lords of the plains will start to squeal -

meanwhile the broadaxe is smiling.



Uploaded byLeslie A. Kery
Source of the quotationMagyarul Bábelben

minimap