WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.110 align:middle line:90% 00:00:01.110 --> 00:00:03.540 align:middle line:84% The sections in this next book, To the Quick, 00:00:03.540 --> 00:00:06.330 align:middle line:84% are marked by translations from a French poems of Rilke. 00:00:06.330 --> 00:00:10.830 align:middle line:84% I was just mentioning to Lois at dinner that I 00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:13.310 align:middle line:84% was on the verge of learning German for Rilke, 00:00:13.310 --> 00:00:15.930 align:middle line:84% and then I found out there were these 300 poems he wrote 00:00:15.930 --> 00:00:18.990 align:middle line:90% in French just before he died. 00:00:18.990 --> 00:00:22.170 align:middle line:84% And fortunately too, Al Poulin has been putting out 00:00:22.170 --> 00:00:24.870 align:middle line:84% editions in which the originals are there, so you 00:00:24.870 --> 00:00:26.010 align:middle line:90% have those available now. 00:00:26.010 --> 00:00:29.460 align:middle line:84% It wasn't the case a few years ago. 00:00:29.460 --> 00:00:32.660 align:middle line:84% I sort of happened on them by leaning in a library by mistake 00:00:32.660 --> 00:00:33.160 align:middle line:90% one day. 00:00:33.160 --> 00:00:35.760 align:middle line:84% And seeing a book that had no titles 00:00:35.760 --> 00:00:37.710 align:middle line:84% on its line, such an oddity, right. 00:00:37.710 --> 00:00:41.580 align:middle line:84% But I was immediately attracted, and opened it up 00:00:41.580 --> 00:00:43.900 align:middle line:84% and found all these, the ones in the French, 00:00:43.900 --> 00:00:45.150 align:middle line:90% which are extraordinary poems. 00:00:45.150 --> 00:00:46.775 align:middle line:84% And I wanted to share them with people, 00:00:46.775 --> 00:00:48.840 align:middle line:90% so started translating them. 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:50.867 align:middle line:90% And there's one: 00:00:50.867 --> 00:00:53.159 align:middle line:90% Mon amie, il faut que je parte. 00:00:53.159 --> 00:00:56.418 align:middle line:84% Voulez vous voir l'endroit sur la carte? 00:00:56.418 --> 00:00:57.566 align:middle line:90% C'est un point noir. 00:00:57.566 --> 00:01:01.862 align:middle line:84% En moi, si tout bien me réussit, 00:01:01.862 --> 00:01:05.529 align:middle line:84% ce sera un point rose dans un vert pays. 00:01:05.529 --> 00:01:06.870 align:middle line:90% 00:01:06.870 --> 00:01:10.080 align:middle line:90% My friend, I must leave you. 00:01:10.080 --> 00:01:12.120 align:middle line:84% Do you want to see the place on a map? 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:14.121 align:middle line:90% It's a black dot. 00:01:14.121 --> 00:01:17.800 align:middle line:84% Inside myself, if things all go as planned, 00:01:17.800 --> 00:01:21.990 align:middle line:84% it will become a point of rose in a green land. 00:01:21.990 --> 00:01:24.145 align:middle line:84% A cruel note to leave, don't you think? 00:01:24.145 --> 00:01:25.770 align:middle line:84% I mean, there are other poems for which 00:01:25.770 --> 00:01:27.467 align:middle line:84% Rilke could get honorary womanhood, 00:01:27.467 --> 00:01:29.425 align:middle line:84% but this is not one of them, especially since-- 00:01:29.425 --> 00:01:30.760 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER] 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:34.920 align:middle line:84% --since mon amie is distinctly in the feminine in French. 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:40.590 align:middle line:84% You don't know that in English, but it's quite clear in French. 00:01:40.590 --> 00:01:43.320 align:middle line:84% Doctor Johnson said, "A man is in general better pleased when 00:01:43.320 --> 00:01:46.200 align:middle line:84% he has a good dinner on his table than when his wife talks 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:46.700 align:middle line:90% Greek." 00:01:46.700 --> 00:01:49.442 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER] 00:01:49.442 --> 00:01:51.270 align:middle line:90% 00:01:51.270 --> 00:01:54.540 align:middle line:90% Why do we fall in love? 00:01:54.540 --> 00:01:55.380 align:middle line:90% The trouble within. 00:01:55.380 --> 00:01:57.780 align:middle line:84% Now, this is by way of introducing my weakness, which 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:00.548 align:middle line:90% is a lot of love poems. 00:02:00.548 --> 00:02:02.340 align:middle line:84% There's a wonderful thing from Chekhov too. 00:02:02.340 --> 00:02:05.500 align:middle line:84% He says that-- this is a great analogy. 00:02:05.500 --> 00:02:06.430 align:middle line:90% I love it. 00:02:06.430 --> 00:02:08.009 align:middle line:90% It's so strange. 00:02:08.009 --> 00:02:11.550 align:middle line:84% He says, "A sudden and ill-timed love affair 00:02:11.550 --> 00:02:13.550 align:middle line:90% may be compared to this." 00:02:13.550 --> 00:02:15.040 align:middle line:84% Now, this is a English translation. 00:02:15.040 --> 00:02:16.290 align:middle line:84% You'll recognize immediately that Chekhov 00:02:16.290 --> 00:02:17.230 align:middle line:90% couldn't have said this. 00:02:17.230 --> 00:02:18.150 align:middle line:90% But this is what he says. 00:02:18.150 --> 00:02:20.310 align:middle line:84% "It could be compared to a sudden and ill-timed love 00:02:20.310 --> 00:02:20.550 align:middle line:90% affair. 00:02:20.550 --> 00:02:21.810 align:middle line:90% May be compared to this. 00:02:21.810 --> 00:02:23.610 align:middle line:90% You take boys for a walk. 00:02:23.610 --> 00:02:26.190 align:middle line:84% The walk is jolly and interesting. 00:02:26.190 --> 00:02:29.930 align:middle line:84% And suddenly one of them gorges himself with oil paint." 00:02:29.930 --> 00:02:32.280 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER] 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:36.180 align:middle line:84% I love that as an analogy for a sudden ill-timed love affair. 00:02:36.180 --> 00:02:38.720 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER] 00:02:38.720 --> 00:02:39.630 align:middle line:90% 00:02:39.630 --> 00:02:40.350 align:middle line:90% Strange man. 00:02:40.350 --> 00:02:43.100 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER]