Wystan Hugh Auden: Aki jobban szeret

Égre nézek, s tudom, a csillagok
felől nyugodtan felfordulhatok,
a földön a közöny a legkevesebb,
amiért másoktól félhetek.

Ha tudnám, száz csillag értem ég,
hogy viszonoznám érdemét?
Ha vonzalmunk közös nem lehet,
én legyek az, ki jobban szeret.

Bár őket én csak bámulom,
hisz bennük nincsen ártalom,
mégse mondom, hogy bármelyik
hiányzott volna estelig.

Ha látnám, minden csillaga letűnt,
tanulnám nézni a puszta űrt,
de hogy vak éje isteni,
nem tudnám egyhamar érteni.

(Lakatos Kálmán fordítása)

W. H. Auden: Epitaph on a tyrant

 Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after

 And the poetry he invented was easy to understand;

 He knew human folly like the back of his hand,

 And was greatly interested in armies and fleets;

 When he laughed, respectable senators burst with laughter,

 And when he cried the little children died in the streets.

W. H. Auden: If I could tell you

Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,

If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know. 

W. H. Auden: The More Loving One

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well

That, for all they care, I can go to hell,

But on earth indifference is the least

We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn

With a passion for us we could not return?

If equal affection cannot be,

Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am

Of stars that do not give a damn,

I cannot, now I see them, say

I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die,

I should learn to look an empty sky

And feel its total dark sublime,

Though this might take me a little time.

W. H. Auden: The Unknown Citizen

(To JS/07 M 378 This Marble Monument Is Erected by the State) He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be One against whom there was no official complaint, And all the reports on his conduct agree That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint, For in everything he did he served the Greater Community. Except for the War till the day he retired He worked in a factory and never got fired, But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc. Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views, For his Union reports that he paid his dues, (Our report on his Union shows it was sound) And our Social Psychology workers found That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink. The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way. Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured, And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured. Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan And had everything necessary to the Modern Man, A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire. Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he held the proper opinions for the time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went. He was married and added five children to the population, Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation. And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education. Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.