Alarm Bells.
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In every era, there are precursors to the disasters to come; and they always come. Disasters which are as inevitable and as inexorable as the foregone conclusions of a classical Greek tragedy. In every age there are voices unheeded that sound the clarion-call to defend, to shelter, to flee. Our own turbulent epoch is no exception. If only we had ears to hear the neglected Cassandras whose cries we mute with our indifference…
Glas
O cloches lourdes, cloches lentes, Dolentes, Râlantes,
Cloches des sinistres journées, Damnées, Damnées,
Cloches de deuil, cloches d’alarmes En armes, En larmes,
O cloches de sang, cloches d’âcres Massacres, Massacres,
O cloches, cloches, cloches, cloches, Plus proches, Plus proches,
Sonnez, cloches, cloches funèbres, Ténèbres ! Ténèbres !
Voici que dans l’air qui s’étonne, Il tonne, Il tonne !
Sous les neiges de flamme comme Sodome, Sodome,
Périssent les cités infâmes En flammes En flammes !
Cloches sur les maisons où monte La honte, La honte,
Cloches sur l’église où les râbles Des diables, Des diables,
Remplacent pour l’Eucharistie L’hostie, L’hostie,
Sonnez sur le meurtre et l’inceste La peste, La peste,
Et sur la Foi qui s’effémine, Famine, Famine,
Et sur l’envie et la colère La guerre, La guerre
Mais nul n’écoute vos reproches, O cloches, O cloches,
Et c’est en vain que pour personne, Je sonne, Je sonne !
Iwan Gilkin, La Nuit, 1897 (chez Fischbacher)
Knell
O heavy bells, sluggish bells, Mournful, Maddening,
Bells of evil days, Condemned, Condemned,
Bells of grief, alarm bells Armed, In tears,
O bells of blood, bitter bells, Slaughter, Slaughter,
O bells, bells, bells, bells, Nearer, Nearer,
Ring, bells, funereal bells, Shadows ! Shadows !
Here in the air which astounds itself, Roaring, Roaring !
Beneath the snows of fire like Sodom, Sodom,
Destroying the infamous cities In flames In flames !
Bells upon the houses where rises Shame, Shame,
Bells on the church where the rabble Of devils, Of devils,
Replace the Eucharist The host, The host,
Toll upon murder and incest Plague, Plague,
And upon the Faith which emasculates itself, Famine, Famine,
And upon envy and hate War, War
But your reproaches are unheeded, O bells, O bells,
And it is in vain that for anyone, I toll, I toll !
Iwan Gilkin, Night, 1897, (published by Fischbacher) [English translation: Sardonique Schadenfreude Rictus, 2007] [illustration: Frontispiece for Adolphe Retté's 'Cloches en la Nuit', Chez Vanier, 1889, by Émile H. Meyer] |
alarmbells
Alarm Bells
