Sergio RAIMONDI (Argentina) is the author of Poesía civil, which is considered the apex of Argentinian objectivist poetry in the end of the 20th century and has exerted significant influence on the poetry writing in the 21st century in Argentina. His book of poems Para un diccionario crítico de la lengua received the Guggenheim Fellowship and also DAAD Fellowship. In 2002, Raimondi became a professor of contemporary literature at the National University of the South in Argentina. From 2011 to 2014, he served as the Secretary of Culture in Bahía Blanca.
Today Matsuo Basho Cooks
The Master said ‘pepper plus wings equal dragonfly’
not the reverse, it’s not about plucking its wings
to leave in mid-air an aromatic grain
that on its own would fall. No, the trick is
to give flight to the fruit so it rises from the table!
But at times something spicy is needed to give
taste to the sauce that’s boiling on the hob
and there’s nothing but that dragonfly or conceit
flying around and even bothering a little bit.
The master, now with his apron, should give up
the elegance of the anecdote to keep in mind
as much his own appetite as that of those dining;
poetic judgment may condemn—or not—the act,
but the stomach will appreciate it in the dinner.
And it’s no surprise that, if the cooking is right,
digestion takes place among plates, pans and steam
with a pleasant sense of grace and lightness.
(Translated by Ben Bollig)
塞爾吉奧．萊蒙迪（阿根廷），其詩集《公民詩歌》標誌著二十世紀末阿根廷客觀主義詩歌的高峰，更深深影響了廿一世紀阿根廷詩歌寫作。他的詩集《批評性辭典》獲古根漢基金獎及德意志學術交流中心獎。萊蒙迪於2002年榮任阿根廷國立南方大學當代文學教授，2011至2014年擔任布蘭卡港市政府文化部長。
今天松尾芭蕉掌勺
大師說「辣椒加翅膀等於蜻蜓」
而不是相反，這並不意味著從蜻蜓身上拔下翅膀
以在半空中留下如若順其自然必會墜地的
一顆芳香的穀粒，而是為了讓水果
飛翔，讓它從桌子上高高升起。
但有時候需要任意一種辣椒，來給
在火爐上沸騰的湯汁添加味道
只有這隻蜻蜓或語言形象
在周圍飛來飛去，甚至有些討嫌。
大師已繫上圍裙，他將拋棄
軼聞中的優雅，一心惦記
他自己和食客們的胃口；
詩歌的判斷力會或者不會譴責這一行為，
但是晚餐時胃將懂得感激。
不要感到驚訝，只要烹飪得當，
消化會在鍋、碗和蒸汽之間完成
帶著彌足珍惜的優雅和輕盈感。
（翻譯﹕胡續冬）