Vajeh Magazine

اين بار مارگارت کليفت MARGARET CLIFT که در ادبيات و شعر دستي توانمند دارد و از سويي ديگر سيلويا پلات شاعر مورد علاقه اوست ، آناليز شعر درختان زمستاني را بر عهده گرفته و براستي از اين دشوار به روشني گذار کرده است. جا دارد که گفته شود مارگريت توسط يکي از خوانندگان گرامي چالش شعر با اين بخش آشنا شده و از چگونگي آن آگاهي يافته است. چالش شعر ورود اين بانوي با احساس را گرامي مي‌دارد و اميدوار است که با پژوهش‌هاي شاعرانه در زمينه‌هاي ديگر همراهي‌اش را با اين بخش حفظ کند.
( با سپاس از بيژن که برگردان اين متن را بر عهده داشته است.) پ. ي

سيلويا پلات يکي از شاعران مورد علاقه من است. من شيفته اشعار او هستم. او از اعماق قلب و روح سخن مي‌گويد. او زني بود حسٌاس و زيبا و زندگي براي وي، غمگين و تلخ، که سر انجام به خودکشي‌اش انجاميد.
"درختان زمستاني" نمونه‌ي خوبي ازعمق کارهاي اوست. شيوه‌ي نگارش او سمبليک (تمثيلي) است و سطوح متفاوتي را در بر مي‌گيرد و به همين دليل اشعار اوسرشار از زندگي و از جامعيٍت خاصٌي برخورداراست. کلماتي که او ازآن‌ها استفاده مي‌کند داراي معاني متفاوت وسرشار ازهيجان و احساس است. بنابراين ترجمه و تفسير آثار او دشوار است زيرا کلام او به جاي آنکه از توالي منطقي برخوردار باشد عمدتا" توام با هيجان و احساس است.
به تصورمن اهميٌت آثار او بيشتر از جهت ِ احساسي است که به خواننده القا مي‌کند، نه معني ظاهري و ظرفيت معمولي کلمات

Margaret Cliff of Stanthorpe, Australia is indeed well versed in literature and the art of poetry. Sylvia Platt being one of her favorite poets, she has, this time, undertaken the interpretation of a work by the poet entitled “Winter Trees”. Miss Clift has successfully and beautifully accomplished this enormous task.

It is worthy of mention that Margaret Clift was first introduced to us through one of our readers of Chaleshe Sher and thus came to know the inner workings of the section. We in this society appreciate and welcome the initiation of this capable and passionate artist and scholar of poetry and literature. We hope that Margaret will retain her association with the publication and continue her collaboration with us through her valuable research in poetry on other artists and genres as well.

INTERPRETATION OF SYLVIA PLATH’S “WINTER TREES”
BY MARGARET CLIFT

SYLVIA PLATH IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE POETS. I LOVE HER POEMS... SHE SPEAKS FROM THE DEPTHS OF HER SOUL. SHE WAS A SENSITIVE AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN AND LIFE WAS SAD AND PAINFUL FOR HER, CULMINATING IN HER UNTIMELY SUICIDE.

WINTER TREES IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SYLVIA PLATH'S FINESSE AND HER DEPTH OF WRITING. SHE WROTE ALLEGORICALLY AND ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS WHICH MAKES HER POETRY SO CONSUMING AND VIVID. HER WORDS HAVE MANY MEANINGS AND ARE FULL OF EMOTION AND FEELING. TO TRY TO ANALYSE HER WORK IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT IS FELT AT AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL RATHER THAN DISCOVERED IN A LOGICAL RATIONALISATION.
I BELIEVE THAT HER WORK IS REFLECTED MORE IN THE FEELINGS SHE ENGENDERS RATHER THAN THE TECHNICAL MEANING OF THE WORDS.

WINTER TREES

THE WET DAWN INKS ARE DOING THEIR BLUE DISSOLVE.
(PLATH'S VISION OF THE TREES, LEAFLESS AND COLD, IS SEEN IN PEN AND INK WASH LIKE WATER COLOUR PAINTS SOAKING INTO THE PAPER... THE IMAGE OF SOFT, WATERY COLOUR SPREADING OUT ON THE PAPER.)
ON THEIR BLOTTER OF FOG THE TREES
SEEM A BOTANICAL DRAWING.
(THE FOG, LIKE A BLOTTING PAPER SOAKS UP THE COLOUR AND THE TREES ARE ETCHED AGAINST THE SOFT BLUENESS SO THEY SEEM STARK AND NAKED. THEIR STRENGTH IS COMPROMISED.)
MEMORIES GROWING, RING ON RING,
(I SEE THIS AS BOTH THE RINGS OF AGE, THE GROWTH OF THE TREE, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TREE, COMBINED WITH THE IDEA OF THE WEDDING RINGS OF PROMISE, A SERIES OF MEMORIES OF THE PAST HELD IN THEIR TRUNKS, COMPOSED OF RINGS OF MEMORY, CELEBRATION AND WISDOM)
A SERIES OF WEDDINGS.
(EACH RING A WEDDING, A CIRCLE COMPLETED AND SET DOWN IN MEMORY.)
KNOWING NEITHER ABORTIONS NOR BITCHERY,
TRUER THAN WOMEN,
THEY SEED SO EFFORTLESSLY!
TASTING THE WINDS, THAT ARE FOOTLESS,
WAIST-DEEP IN HISTORY.
(THE TREES DO NOT EXPERIENCE THE SADNESS OF LOST CHILDREN, OF MISCARRIAGE OR HAVING TO CHOOSE ABORTION, NOR DO THEY PARTAKE IN THE MEAN-SPIRITEDNESS WHICH WOMEN ARE ACCUSED OF. THEY ARE MORE WOMANLY THAN WOMEN PERHAPS. THE TREES ARE AS WE WOMEN MIGHT WANT TO BE. THEY ARE MORE CAPABLE OF GIVING BIRTH EASILY AND WITHOUT THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WOMEN ENDURE. THEY CAN FEEL THE FREEDOM IN THE WINDS BUT ARE STILL ROOTED IN HISTORY AND THE PAST.
FULL OF WINGS, OTHERWORLDLINESS.
THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR SPIRIT. THEY CAN SOAR ABOVE THE ORDINARY, BECOME MORE THAN THE PHYSICAL, ALLOW THEIR SPIRITS TO DISCOVER THE MYSTERIES WITHIN OTHER REALMS.
IN THIS, THEY ARE LEDAS.
(PLATH REFERS TO THE STORY OF LEDA AND THE SWAN.)
O MOTHER OF LEAVES AND SWEETNESS
WHO ARE THESE PIETAS?
(THE PIETA IS THE MOURNING MOTHER MARY HOLDING THE BODY OF HER SON, JESUS CHRIST.)
THE SHADOWS OF RINGDOVES CHANTING, BUT EASING NOTHING
(HERE AGAIN THE ALLEGORY OF THE RING. THE RING EASES NOTHING. EVEN THE SINGING BIRD DOES NOT BRING HAPPINESS OR PEACE HERE. PERHAPS SHE IS SAYING THAT MARRIAGE IS NOT RIGHT FOR WOMEN. THEREIN LIES NO EASE. AND SHADOWS, THE SHADOW PSYCHE, THE DARKNESS... , IT IS ALL OF SADNESS AND SHADOWS. THE SPIRITS OF WOMEN ARE RESTRICTED, BOUND BY DUTY AND PATRIARCHAL HISTORY.)