Besides a good memory, Gergely’s kindness also left me the anthology which cover I here add. I was thinking of posting this poem before (many others are awaiting in good order), but Epp’s post Shouting  and some other recent readings and correspondence made me finally spend some time typing it out. Unfortunately my googling the web returned no more insight into the author and his age, but I only searched for information in English so far ;-)

 

 

 

On Mankind

 

By Mihály Vörösmarty

 

 

Fall silent! Cease to sing your tale:

The world reveals its past –

Of frozen winds and scalding flail

That humans’ hearts have cast –

Showers of tears men’s sorrows cause to fly,

Winds from the hearts of those who sigh.

Worthless are all things: virtue, sin, and brain:

All hope is vain!

 

You’ve often heard the tale: “The nation

Had Founding Fathers brave,

But as they sinned, their own creation

Went sinning to the grave…”

Those left alive with fear were filled:

“Give us the Law” – But the Law had killed…

The virtuous fell, murder ruled again:

All hope is vain!

 

And then the powerful heroes placed

The Law beneath their feet.

Man bent the iron, toiled and faced

It all – there’s no defeat.

The mighty soon to die began;

Man, in frustration, turned on man…

And fame? A lightning flash in want’s dark reign:

All hope is vain!

 

Then a long age of peace arose,

Men mightily increased;

Perhaps for a plague the number grows

To make a larger feast:

Man looks to Heaven with longing eyes;

But Earth his ownership denies…

Even for graves too hard is its domain:

All hope is vain!

 

How plentifully lush the Earth!

Made even richer by Man’s stroke;

Yet everywhere there is still dearth

Slaves groan beneath the yoke.

Must it be always thus? If no,

Why, for so long, has it been so?

Is it virtue or strength, we can’t obtain?

All hope is vain!

 

An ungodly contract there’s aglow

‘Twixt reason and Evil will

Therefore your raging follies grow

In feverish wars to kill.

Satan and Reason the strife began:

Whichever wins, the loser’s Man,

This God-faced beast, this lump of mud insane:

All hope is vain!

 

Man pains the Earth. Beyond the spate

Of years if war and peace

The curses of fraternal hate

Upon her brow increase.

And should we think he’ll learn in time,

He plots an even viler crime:

From dragon’s teeth will spring his budding grain:

All hope is vain! All hope is vain!

 

 

(Translated from the Hungarian by Valerie Becker Makkai, Neville Masterman & Adam Makkai)