By Victor Hugo
Translated by Timothy Adès
I love the spider and the nettle
Since they are hated;
Their sorry needs are penalised
And never sated;
Since they are paltry and accursed,
Dark lurking things,
Since they are wretched prisoners
Of their snarings:
Since they are caught in their own toils,
Coiling too clever,
And since the nettle is a snake,
Ragtag the weaver,
Because they have the shade of chasms,
From which we flee,
Because they both are dark night’s victims,
They gladden me.
Passer-by: pity the dim weed,
The hapless creature!
Carp at the the sting, the ugly sight,
The misadventure!
All things know sadness, all desire
To be embraced.
Untamed and vile they are: but - spare,
Leave them uncrushed!
Throw them a less disdainful glance
From far above:
The loathsome beast, the evil plant,
Will murmur: Love!
J'aime l'araignée : VICTOR HUGO
J'aime l'araignée et j'aime l'ortie,
Parce qu'on les hait ;
Et que rien n'exauce et que tout châtie
Leur morne souhait ;
Parce qu'elles sont maudites, chétives,
Noirs êtres rampants ;
Parce qu'elles sont les tristes captives
De leur guet-apens ;
Parce qu'elles sont prises dans leur oeuvre ;
Ô sort ! fatals noeuds !
Parce que l'ortie est une couleuvre,
L'araignée un gueux;
Parce qu'elles ont l'ombre des abîmes,
Parce qu'on les fuit,
Parce qu'elles sont toutes deux victimes
De la sombre nuit...
Passants, faites grâce à la plante obscure,
Au pauvre animal.
Plaignez la laideur, plaignez la piqûre,
Oh ! plaignez le mal !
Il n'est rien qui n'ait sa mélancolie ;
Tout veut un baiser.
Dans leur fauve horreur, pour peu qu'on oublie
De les écraser,
Pour peu qu'on leur jette un oeil moins superbe,
Tout bas, loin du jour,
La vilaine bête et la mauvaise herbe
Murmurent : Amour !
The Importance of Arts, Culture & The Creative Process
Arts and culture are vital for the well-being of every individual, every group, every society, and the whole human species.
What was the inspiration for your creative work?
As a translator-poet mainly from French and Spanish, I greatly admire the work of Hélène Cardona.
Tell us something about the natural world that you love and don’t wish to lose. What are your thoughts on the kind of world we are leaving for the next generation?
Memories of the warm Mediterranean Sea; of the mountains of Scotland; of dense clouds of butterflies in the jungles of Mexico; of the colourful birds of the Gambia, and of Australia; of the cliffs and coves of Cornwall and Brittany; of the redwoods of Ccalifornia...