Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Björk and Stalker in The Dull Flame of Desire

I was very surprised by Björk lyrics in The Dull Flame of Desire was taken from a translation of a poem by Fyodor Tyutchev (1803-1873). It appears in Andrei Tarkovsky's masterpiece Stalker. You can hear this undoubtedly beautiful poem in the end of the film.

DULL FLAME OF DESIRE
(light lines sung by Antony Hegarty)

I love your eyes, my dear
their splendid, sparkling fire
when suddenly you raise them so
to cast a swift embracing glance


like lightning flashing in the sky
but there's a charm that is greater still:
when my love's eyes are lowered
when all is fired by passions kiss


and through the downcast lashes
I see the dull flame of desire


And there is a Czech translation by Václav Daněk:
(source: zona.bloudil.cz)

Příteli, jak miluji oči tvé,
I jejich hru zázračně plamennou,
Když zvedneš je v náhlé vteřině,
Jako by blýskavou září nebeskou,


Přehlédneš letmo kruhy své...
Však silnější než okouzlení:
Oči, k zemi sklopené
Ve chvílích vášně celování,


Skrze řasy spuštěné
Zastřeně matný plamen přání.

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