One Art / O Arta Poem by Magdalena Biela

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

—Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

Elizabeth Bishop

..................................................



O arta

Arta de-a pierde nu-i greu a deprinde;
atatea lucruri par a fi menite
a disparea, incat nu mai surprinde.

Sa pierzi zilnic ceva spre-a te destinde,
chei de la usa, ore ostenite.
Arta de-a pierde nu-i greu a deprinde.

Apoi arta de-a pierde ti-o extinde:
locuri si nume sa le faci pierite;
Nimic nu-i un dezastru, doar depinde.

Pierdui al mamei ceas si, far-a vinde,
doua din trei din casele iubite.
Arta de-a pierde nu-i greu a deprinde.

Pierdui orase dragi, si cat cuprinde
un continent, tari, rauri mostenite.
Imi lipsesc insa drama nu s-aprinde.

Te pierdui chiar pe tine (vocea cu ras, un gest
iubit) . N-ar trebui sa mint. Toate-s vadite.
Arta de-a pierde nu-i greu a deprinde
desi pare-a fi (Scrie!) ce pretinde.


Romanian version Maria Magdalena Biela