Incidental lyricism

Some poets find poetry in the most surprising places. Translators can also find lyrical bits in dry texts.

When I come across them, I sometimes scribble these fragments down. These are gleanings from a few target texts I have produced in the last week, which bear no relation to the general import of the text at all, nor were the texts as a whole lyrical by any stretch of the imagination – apart from those delightful wild palm and mango trees dancing about the page the other day. By excluding marketing texts, it seems I have had very slim pickings this week.  I am not quoting the three different sources used; they are confidential.

I have made a kind of poem out of them, with each phrase on a separate line, and lifted verbatim from some very dry material indeed:

a distinct advantage

embracing all
upon the fourth anniversary of
our desire

should be prudent

marshy and mountainous
a green line
in motion

we connect
on the south flank of a grassy hill.

Allison

P.S. I really would love to see other poems gleaned from snippets of translations in the comments below, dear, reserved, fellow translators!