Lee Miller-Man Ray 1929
Robert Desnos was in many ways the archetypal surrealist spirit. Involved in Paris Dada he was in the literary vanguard of Surrealism and possessed an extra-ordinary talent for automatic writing during the Trance Period, rivalled only by Rene Crevel. Desnos, like many others, fell out with Andre Breton and joined the group centred around Georges Bataille and his magazine Documents and he was one of the signers of the anti-Breton polemic Un Cadavre.
During WWII Desnos was an active member of the French Resistance and he was captured by the Gestapo in 1944. He was deported to Auschwitz, then Buchenwald and finally Theresienstadt where he would die a few weeks after the camp’s liberation from typhoid.
I Have So Often Dreamed Of You
I have so often dreamed of you that you become unreal.
Is it still time enough to reach that living body and to kiss
on that mouth the birth of the voice so dear to me?
I have so often dreamed of you that my arms used as they are
to meet on my breast in embracing your shadow would
perhaps not fit the contour of your body.
And, before the real appearance of what has haunted and ruled
me for days and years, I might become only a shadow.
Oh the weighing of sentiment,
I have so often dreamed of you that there is probably no time
now to waken. I sleep standing, my body exposed to all the
appearances of life and love and you, who alone still
matter to me, I could less easily touch your forehead and
your lips than the first lips and the first forehead I
might meet by chance.
I have so often dreamed of you, walked, spoken, slept with your
phantom that perhaps I can be nothing any longer than a
phantom among phantoms and a hundred times more shadow
than the shadow which walks and will walk joyously over
the sundial of your life.
Translation Mary Ann Caws
Lovely and bittersweet. So many died soon after liberation. Their bodies were just spent and when the fight-or-flight energy they’d been living on for months or years finally dissipated with (relative) safety, they collapsed and yielded to starvation or illness.
P.S. Going out of state for a week. May not reply to future entries in a timely manner. So don’t worry.
LikeLiked by 3 people
No worries, hopefully I will have written more posts for you to catch up on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A captivating image and poem, both quite dreamlike themselves.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, the photograph is dreamlike and the poem has the qualities of a good Surrealist poem or artwork, strange but beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good description: strange but beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Strange to read someone’s beautiful words, and then hear about the terrible things that happened to them. Like a bad dream, almost.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know there is a whole world of heartache in that post. I choose the photograph of Lee Miller because she took a bath in Hitler’s bathtub so it seemed like a revenge in a way. Plus it is a dreamy picture and Lee was stunning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I must admit that I am fascinated by your blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you I try to be entertaining
LikeLike
Absolutely beautiful
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I must go read more…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you hopefully there is something of interest for the good Doctor
LikeLiked by 1 person
You posted this again, I read it again and I’m liking and commenting again.
I wrote a short piece today. I’d like to hear what you think of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am having a bit of a block
So reposts it is for a while.. I just need to keep track of where and when… A lot of stuff is buried in the archives but I suppose this one isn’t so old
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can understand why you would want to post the beautiful Lee Miller in close succession!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do love Lee Miller…I do need to keep track though… The Max Ernst makes sense but stuff I did a month ago?
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Max Ernst posts are really interesting. I’m enjoying your poetry, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am not really a poet… I only write poetry very occasionally
LikeLiked by 1 person
But well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You write it well
LikeLike
This is a wonderful post. I’m thrilled to see that you selected a gorgeous photo of Lee Miller by Man Ray, I don’t believe he ever stopped dreaming about her, ever.
Wonderful write up on Robert Desnos, truly tragic ending. “I Have So Often Dreamed Of You” is a beautiful and heartbreaking poem, I believe Desnos wrote it about his love for Yvonne George, terribly sad.
I enjoyed this post very much, lovely presentation. Take care. ~ Mia
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for your lovely intelligent and insightful comments, I am very glad that you enjoyed the post. The photo seems to capture the mood of the poem but also my default mode is ‘pick a Man Ray, any Man Ray.’ Desnos end was truly tragic and appalling. Thanks again
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re most welcome. A wonderful “default mode”. Wishing you a wonderful day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤️❤️❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on The Popcorn Daily.
LikeLike
Yes! Beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, who wouldn’t agree that this beautiful
LikeLiked by 1 person
The photo is beautiful and the poem is kind of haunting. What a concept for a love poem. The longing and the kind of sighing resignation is heart wrenching. But lovely as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you… I wish I had written it, it is gorgeous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve written beautiful things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you you are very kind Vic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well yes…😉 But also just being honest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Champagne coupe
LikeLiked by 1 person
My Miss Miller
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow this piece is hauntingly lovely
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know I wish I had written it or even anything half as good
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m with you on that
LikeLiked by 1 person
All we do is try our best and aim to reach that Parthenon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful piece. Inspiring. I need to make a point to visit this site more often.
There is so much here, waiting to be appreciated.
I especially like the influences of Dada.
Namaste
Chazz Vincent
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much…. please do, support and comments are always appreciated.
LikeLike
Dada/Surrealism are the main themes here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure
LikeLike
Wonderful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you… isn’t it just simply beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is. Simply beautiful. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gorgeous photo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you it certainly is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So beautiful – captivating really – lovely picture and great write 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much…it is a gorgeous poem and I have a fondness for Lee Miller.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
You really are too kind.
LikeLike
Better in French: http://www.unjourunpoeme.fr/poeme/jai-tant-reve-de-toi
LikeLiked by 2 people
Translation by Mary Ann Caws?
It is word-for-word identical to the text ascribed to _Paul Auster_ in this week’s edition of _The American Scholar_:
https://theamericanscholar.org/i-have-so-often-dreamed-of-you-by-robert-desnos/
Do you have a cite for this? Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello the translator is Mary Ann Caws. I have this translation in Surrealist Painters and Poets: An Anthology edited by Mary Ann Caws MIT press 2002, the source notes state that the poem was published in 1925 and the translator is Mary Ann Caws who first published the translation in the work The Surrealist Voice of Robert Desnos published in 1978. I am aware that Auster translated some Surrealism poetry back in the day, but the American scholar is misattributing this particular translation. Hope this helpful.
LikeLike
Thank you! I alerted _The American Scholar_ yesterday to the possibility of its misattribution of this translation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to be of help.
LikeLike
Hello,
Here is a reply from _The American Scholar_ regarding the attribution of the translation of Desnos’ poem:
”The translation is Paul Auster’s—we confirmed with him, and Amanda read from a photocopy of the poem from a different book edited by Mary Ann Caws: Essential Poetry of Robert Desnos, in which the translation is accredited to Auster. The same poem is also included in a 2018 collection edited by Caws, The Milk Bowl of Feathers: Essential Surrealist Writing, also accredited to Auster. I don’t have access to Surrealist Love Poems but I assure you that the translation of this poem is by Paul Auster!”
best,
Mark
LikeLiked by 1 person
My volume Surrealist Painters and Poets must be incorrect then. Thank you for the information.
LikeLike