March 21: International Day of Poetry and International Day of Forests

I actually posted this below last year for the Hungarian Day of Poetry (April 11). I know it’s pretty lame, reblogging myself (sort of), but I thought it could be appropriate for this occasion as well. I promise I will come up with something original for April 11 though. 🙂

About the International Day of Forests, you can learn more clicking the logo:

(P.S. Does anybody know why Tumblr makes it impossible to reblog yourself?! Not that I want to do it often, but really…)

blabbingworldaffairs:

One last poem for today. This one relates to my addiction to international relations, quoted many times by Hungarian international law scholars when speaking about the function of international law.

János Arany, famous Hungarian poet was much upset about the outcome of the Russo-Turkish war in 1878 when the Congress of Berlin met to reorganize the countries of the Balkans. Not many were satisfied with the unjust resettlement, many still consider these decisions as starting point eventually leading to World War I.

Civilization is a short poem with much irony expressing the popular opinion of that time. I like to think it is not true today, but you decide. 🙂

The English translation below is my own, so please excuse if it lacks any artistic taste, I am not used to doing this. 🙂

_______________________________________________

Arany János:

Civilizáció

Ezelőtt a háborúban 
Nem követtek semmi elvet, 
Az erősebb a gyengétől 
Amit elvehetett, elvett.

Most nem úgy van. A világot 
Értekezlet igazgatja: 
S az erősebb ha ‘mi csinyt tesz, 
Összeűl és – helybehagyja. 

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János Arany:

Civilization

Earlier in wars 
There were no principles followed,
The strong from the weak
Took whatever he could.

Not anymore. The world now
is ruled by a summit: 
And if the strong does something wrong,
It gathers and – agrees.