The Mileposts’ Secret

Summary

The website presents a verse translation of the poem "The Mileposts’ Secret" by Jenő Dsida, which tells the story of two wanderers meeting amidst darkness and hardship, with the mileposts symbolizing the silent guardians of the travelers' intertwined destinies.

Abstract

"The Mileposts’ Secret" is a poem by Hungarian poet Jenő Dsida, translated by Joe Váradi, featured on the website. It narrates the journey of two individuals who set out to meet from afar, navigating through a metaphorical darkness that is both blinding and deafening. Their path leads them through a cool, pearly tunnel where the damp walls cling to their touch as they search for each other. The poem conveys the physical and emotional strain of their quest, with their screams echoing faintly. The mileposts, which know the secret of the travelers' fated meeting, remain silent, guarding the knowledge that the pilgrims' paths have long since crossed, destined to meet with heartache. The original poem maintains a strict 7–9–3–2 syllable structure, preserved in the translation.

Opinions

The translator, Joe Váradi, successfully maintains the original syllable structure of the poem, showcasing his skill in preserving the poetic form.
The poem is described as a "dark and lack-lustre tale," suggesting a somber and perhaps melancholic interpretation of the journey and the inevitable heartache that awaits the travelers.
The mileposts are personified as knowing and secretive entities, hinting at a deeper philosophical or existential meaning behind the travelers' meeting.
The mention of Jenő Dsida's tragically short life and his cultural contributions provides context for the poem's creation and may influence the reader's perception of its themes.

a verse translation of a poem by Jenő Dsida

a poem by Jenő Dsida, translated by Joe Váradi

A dark and lack-lustre tale. Two wanderers had set out to meet from afar. Long past.

Blinded by the pitch black night, Ear canals as if with lead deafened; and yet they tread on.

A tunnel, pearly and cool. Dank cave walls stick to the trembling palm. Seeking each other.

Sinews sway and throb with pain, Cracked voices, when they muster a scream, drift away muffled.

The mileposts are silent. The secret they have all come to know, fiendishly they guard:

Heartache awaits the pilgrims. Their meandering and aimless paths long ago have crossed.

The original, by Jenő Dsida (1907–1938) (Wiki bio), a Hungarian poet and translator who lived a tragically short life overshadowed by World War I. He was active on the Transylvanian cultural scene. This composition has a 7–9–3–2 syllable structure in each verse which I preserved in the translation.

A mérföldkövek titka

Fekete-fakó mese. Két ember indult egymás felé messziről. Régen.

Vaksötét az éjszaka, füleikben ólom siketül; azóta mennek.

Gyöngyös-hideg alagút. Nedves kőfal tenyérre tapad. Keresik egymást.

Inuk roggyant s fájva fáj, rekedt hangjuk, ha kiáltanak, elgurul tompán.

Némák a mérföldkövek. Titkon, amit mindük észrevett, kajánul rejtik:

Csalódnak a vándorok. Keresztezték egymást balgatag útjaik régen.