Crapauds! Head down today, working today on a poem about La Gran'mère which I had started earlier in the year. Suddenly shaping up. Also doing more on the Anthology of Guernsey site. I asked Ken to translate a poem by George Métivier called Aux Crapauds , or To the Crapauds (Jerseymen). Crapauds means toads and is what Guernsey people call those hailing from Jersey. And he came back with a translation in a couple of hours. I've made a few tweaks to Ken's version and here it is... To the Crapauds! Greetings to our dear cousins, the honourable toads! Slow you crawl, though are you any less beautiful? Don’t your indulgent friends always flatter you? Admire your great eyes ! they sparkle, And your sodden clothes have an enchanting shiny sheen, To delights the enlightened man, and seduce lovers. And even when you’re gobbing, soul sublime and pure, The naturalist will admire you as wildlife, And haughty Jersey, the mother feeds you, Balance in hand, weighs you; Ah! How she smiles...
Posts
Five oh (my God) Today was my 50th birthday. I am still mostly in denial about this. And as Carl once said, there's only one thing worse than denial, and that's De Amazon. Lorraine and I met Matty and Kate at breakfast, where Lorraine gave me a lion headed door knocker, which is something I have wanted for ages. Then we off to St Peter Port. It was a fine morning, and I went into the library to get some information about George Métivier, "the Guernsey Burns", and then found myself popping around to the Pollet to buy myself a navy blue Guernsey sweater. Matty drove us to Moulin Huet pottery where Kate made a purchase, then we walked down to the bay with its warm turquoise water, where I had a quick birthday paddle in the bay I love the most. Everyone seemed to revel in the sun and tranquility of the bay. Eventually it was time to leave, and after the puff uphill,there were fond farewells, and Matty drove Lorraine and I off to the airport. It was a wonderful flight home...
National poet of Guernsey isn't me, shocker Mum back to England today. We'd had a really good time together, and some sensational weather too, which she seems to have taken with her. After waving mum off at the hotel, I zoomed off into town, to spend time lurking in the library's local books section. Got down some books in French and Guernésiais by George Métivier (1790–1881). I will go back tomorrow to learn more, but he is described in the introduction of the ancient volume I was reading as "le pöete national de Guernsey", obviously a sweeping statement made well before I was born. Fresh from enjoying a poem that started "Salut, nos cher cousins, honorables crapauds!" about Jerseymen. I went off to meet Catriona Stares, for an excellent meal at Hojos in St Peter Port, and an even better chat. We pooled lots of ideas, and Catriona seems really switched on and generally encouraging of arts in the island. I really liked her. She also told me that Richard...