Nothing is owed to us in life, not even the innocence of a blue sky. Great art is the art of thankfulness for the abundance of every moment. Writing is a Chinese variant of this thankfulness, a curtsy to life in its cloak of nothing, lined with love.- Christian Bobin, "Passing Through Images"I stayed up way too late last night reading from a collection of essays by the French poet Christian Bobin, called I Never Dared Hope for You. The whole book is heartrendingly beautiful, but that particular passage is one of my favorites. I came across a quote on Tumblr from the original French version, L'inespérée, and I was hooked:
Cela fait
bien longtemps que je ne sors plus sans toi.
Je t’emporte dans la plus simple cachette qui soit :
je te cache dans ma joie comme une lettre en plein soleil
Je t’emporte dans la plus simple cachette qui soit :
je te cache dans ma joie comme une lettre en plein soleil
(It’s been a long time since I no longer go
out without you.
I carry you in the
simplest hiding place possible:
I hid you in my joy like a letter in the
sunlight.)
Pure poetry.
I need more thankfulness, more joy in the simple things in life.
------------
Sources: (1) / (2)
I've never heard of Christian Bobin, but I love that little sliver of his poem. I have a feeling I know what I'll be reading this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't either until recently. Another of his essay collections is called A Little Party Dress. I've already ordered it! :)
Delete