Radiant World

Awhile ago I checked out a book of poetry by Victor Hugo from the library. I have only had time to read a few of the poems here and there, but one in particular really stood out to me and has been rattling around in my brain for some time.

Unfortunately, while Victor Hugo lived in the 19th century, many of his works of poetry have only been translated and published in English in recent years. So while the original poems might be part of the public domain (although I'm not sure if France has the same copyright rules in that regard), these recently published translations are definitely not. Thus, I can't legally copy the poem out for you here in this blog like I'd like to.

However, Google Books provides a nice (and I presume, legal) preview of the book which includes the poem, "Tonight in clouds the sun has gone to bed...." The text is bilingual, meaning that the original French is on the left page with the corresponding English translation on the right. So, if you follow the link, you actually have to find the beginning of the poem at the bottom of page 49, then skip page 50 (which is the rest of the original French), and read the end on the top of page 51.

Annnnd, if anyone can (or even wants to) actually follow all those complicated and ridiculous steps, I will be extremely impressed. But, moving on.

I find this poem very comforting, perhaps bizarrely so. I suppose in some ways it can be a bit melancholy to be reminded of the transience of our lives. But I spend so much of my day worrying and fretting over really pointless, insignificant things. I agonize over decisions that seem momentous. Deep down, even I know that most of them won't matter in a year or two. Very, very few have a lifelong impact. And really, what even is that? My lifetime. Of such great importance to me. But just a blip in the span of time. I want to make the most of my life. And I try very, very hard to that end. Mostly though..., I fail. What a relief it is to know that my worries, and successes, and failures do not hold this world up.

This whole radiant world. I am so thankful for it.