Poesia kaiera
Gizarte-ordena
I
Emaztea bera baino zenbait urte zaharragoa den
Gobernuko funtzionario honek
Lausengari aire handia du
Andre gazteei eskua ematen dielarik
II
(Pompes Funebres)
Sei kandelak eta gurutzefika batek
Inguratzen dute orain
“Hain zaharra izaki, ateoa
zen” emakume zahar hau;
Bizkitartean iloba baten bigarren emazteak
Etxeko ondasunak xahutzen ditu,
Atsoaren bi katuak
Bera baino lehenago heldu dira su-leizera,
Kloroformoz buruturiko autoinmolazio mota bat,
Eta espero denez haien izpirituak
buztanak tente ibiliko omen dira
Marru gozo negartiak lagun;
Zeren eta, zalantzarik gabe, atsoak mundu honetan
Utzi duen soinu bakarra
Ahaide emeen liskarra izan da.
The Social Order
I
This government official / Whose wife is several years his senior, / Has such a caressing air / When he shakes hands with young ladies.
II (Pompes Funebres)
This old lady, / Who was “so old that she was an atheist,” / Is now surrounded / By six candles and a crucifix, / While the second wife of a nephew / Makes hay with the things in her house. / Her two cats / Go before her into Avernus; / A sort of chloroformed suttee, / And it is to be hoped that their spirits will walk / With their tails up, / And with a plaintive, gentle mewing, / For it is certain that she has left on this earth / No sound / Save a squabble of female connections.