Bela Fisterra
(EN)
This terminal shore
endlessly translates itself.
Finisterre.
Finistère.
Ultima Thule.
An Chríoch Dheiridh.
Towards what end,
traveller, might you go
to the ends of the earth?
For tribe? For self?
For knowledge? For pilgrimage?
To see the midwinter sun hiss
itself into the limitless ocean?
To glimpse what may be behind
the sun’s dazzle, the sea’s exhalations?
If you dare the implications
of that glimpse, you must climb
the high headland, climb to the tower
that guards the coast of death.
There are rumours its custodians
know what lies beyond the horizon.
You may decide to settle, to be absorbed
into sheltered harbours rich with molluscs,
soft-noted woods that anticipate meadows,
columbaria, tethered horses, hórreos
overflowing with grain. You may decide
to test belief on an oscillating boulder,
to find healing under a boulder’s weight,
to be gifted love in a boulder’s crevices.
Whatever you decide
Finis Terrae
is where you must begin
over and over again
ab initio.
For Pepe Formoso
(GA)
An cladach seo is sia siar,
bíonn de shíor á aistriú fein.
Finisterre.
Finistère.
Ultima Thule.
Land’s End.
Ar son cén ceann scríbe,
a ródaí, a ndéanfá turas
go dtí an chríoch dheiridh?
Ar son na muintire? Ar do shon féin?
Ar son feasa? Ar son oilithreachta?
Ar son an ghrian lárgheimhridh a fheiscint
á tomadh féin go siosarnach san aigéan dochuimsithe?
Ar son spléachadh ar a bhfuil taobh thall
de dhalladh na gréine, de análú na farraige?
Má leomhann tú an dúshlán a éiríonn
as an spléachadh úd, ní mór duit tabhairt faoi
arda an chinn tíre, dreapadh go dtí an túr
a chaomhnaíonn cósta na marbh.
Tá sé ráite gur eol dosna caomhnóirí
cad é atá ina luí ar an dtaobh thall den bhfíor.
D’fhéadfá cinneadh ar bheith lonnaithe,
bheith súite i gcalaphoirt atá ag brúchtaíl le sliogéisc,
i gcoillte ceolmhara a thairngríonn cluainte,
columbaria, capaillíní ar téad, hórreos
ag cur thar maoil le arbhar. D’fhéadfá cinneadh
ar do chreideamh a thriail ar bhollán luascach,
ar mhilse íce a aimsiú faoi mheáchan bholláin,
ar an ngrá mar bhronntanas i scoilteanna bholláin.
Pé cinneadh a dhéanfair
caithfidh gurb é Finis Terrae
láthair do thosnaithe
arís agus arís eile
do Pepe Formoso
