After planning, changing, deciding, it is finally finished… I must say that it was more fun filming it than it is watching it. Almost like I’m sorry it is all over.
The scenes are not taken only in one place, but in towns, cities and villages in Vojvodina. People in the video are some of my closest friends and family as well as people I’ve just met. They are of all ages, of different nations, because there are no discriminations to people who can significantly alter you life. That stranger who can mean the world to you could be…just ANYONE.
PASSING stranger! you do not know how longingly I look upon you, You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking, (It comes to me, as of a dream,) I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you, All is recalled as we flit by each other, fluid, affec- tionate, chaste, matured, You grew up with me, were a boy with me, or a girl with me, I ate with you, and slept with you—your body has become not yours only, nor left my body mine only, You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass—you take of my beard, breast, hands, in return, I am not to speak to you—I am to think of you when I sit alone, or wake at night alone, I am to wait—I do not doubt I am to meet you again, I am to see to it that I do not lose you.
Странцу
Странче у ПРОЛАЗУ! Ти не знаш колико те чежљивогледам,
Ти мора да си онај којег сам тражио или она коју сам тражио (дође ми као у сну,)
Негде сам сигурно живео радостан живот с тобом,
Сећање се вратило док се мимоилазимо, непостојани, нежни, чедни, сазрели,
Одрастао си са мном, био дечак са мном или девојчица са мном,
Јео сам са тобом и спавао са тобом – твоје тело је постало не твоје само и моје тело није остало моје само,
Уживам у твојим очима, лицу, телу док се мимоилазимо, а ти у мојој бради, недрима, шакама заузврат,
Ја не треба да говорим са тобом – ја треба да мислим на тебе када седим сам или кад се будим ноћз сам,
Ја треба да чекам – ја не сумњам да треба да те сретнем опет,
Ја треба да се постарам да те не изгубим.
This is just a draft version, but it was a great challenge to translate Whitman’s poetry. It is even more interesting to see him written in Cyrillic! Some of the problems I encountered was the translation of the construction I am to. The to infinitive could be regarded as a future action (like will) as well as an imperative mood (instead of should), the trouble was to decide what Walt wanted to say. Maybe someone out there has some suggestions?
History of Calamus 22
First time the poem To a Stranger was presented to a reading audience was in a 1860 edition of “Leaves of Grass”, under the nameof Calamus 22. From that very edition down to the last “Death-bed” edition the form of the poem hasn’t changed much. Or should I better say that there are no striking changes…
There are a few dashes in this first publication of the Calamus poems, and Whitman decided to change this when he published his Calamus poems for the fourth time in the 1881-82 edition of “Leaves of Grass”. The dashes made really nice pauses, almost like they’re saying “don’t stop now, wait ’till you hear this!”. Walt Whitman was a true visualistic person, so other than giving the poem a good rhythm, it also looked good.
The whole word passing at the beginning of the poem is capitalized, and I like the way this gives importance to the fact that he is just passing by. It is giving meaning to the moment, emphasizing that things are passing right by, that we have to stop and think, seaze the moment. Carpe diem! It also presents a classical romantic idea that everyone have their pair somewhere in the world. And like the legend says we are ment to look for that other part of us for eternity. The period of Whitman’s life and love with Fred Vaughan, his first known lover, was quite influential on his poetry at that time. He was just opening up, expressing his true feelings for the first time, not hiding anything. Completely exposed.