Paul Celan's "Once,..."

Bouncing between Sylvia and "late" Celan (Breathturn and beyond, translations by Pierre Joris), leaning more toward Celan to help me through the week. Many of his poems are short and can be read in snatches. Grasped is another question.

This is the last one in Breathturn.


*


Celan's German:


EINMAL,

da hörte ich ihn,

da wusch er die Welt,

ungesehen, nachtlang,

wirklich.


Eins und Unendlich,

vernichtet,

ichten,
 

Licht war. Rettung.
 
 
*
 
Pierre Joris' Translation:
 
ONCE,
 
I did hear him,
he did wash the world,
unseen, nightlong,
real.
 
One and unending,
annihilated,
I'ed.
 
Light was. Salvation.
 

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