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Day of Hungarian Poetry – Former British Ambassador Recites Poem by Ady

Hungary Today 2022.04.11.

Iain Lindsay, former British Ambassador to Hungary, cited a poem by the famous poet Endre Ady on the occasion of the Day of Hungarian Poetry, which is today, April 11. It has almost become a tradition for him to recite a poem in Hungarian on this day.

Lindsay picked the poem Őrizem a szemedet (I guard your eyes or I watch over your eyes) by Endre Ady, who is regarded as one of the greatest Hungarian poet of the 20th century.

 

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

 

Lindsay Nagykövet (@ambassadorlindsay) által megosztott bejegyzés

Fact

Here is the poem in English:

I guard your eyes

by Endre Ady

With my old man’s wrinkled hand,

with my old man’s squinting eyes,

let me hold your lovely hand,

let me guard your lovely eyes.

 

Worlds have tumbled, through their fall

like a wild beast chased by fright

I came, and I on you did call

scared, I wait with you inside.

 

With my old man’s wrinkled hand,

with my old man’s squinting eyes,

let me hold your lovely hand,

let me guard your lovely eyes.

 

I do not know why, how long

can I thus remain for you –

but I hold your lovely hand

and I guard your lovely eyes.

Translation by Ádám Makkai. Source: Bábel Web Anthology – the Multilingual Literature Portal

Iain Lindsay was appointed as Ambassador to Hungary in 2016 and stayed in the position until 2020. After his appointment, he gave a toast in Hungarian and read Hungarian poems and novel excerpts several times on his Instagram and Facebook pages.

An Ambassador Falling in Love with Hungary - Interview with Iain Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Hungary
An Ambassador Falling in Love with Hungary - Interview with Iain Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Hungary

Iain Lindsay, the British Ambassador to Hungary, with his vibrant social media presence, keen interest in Hungarian culture, as well as outstanding Hungarian, is one of the more colorful members of the Budapest diplomatic corps. He is leaving his office in Hungary at the end of summer, as well as his diplomatic service at the British Foreign […]Continue reading

Featured image via Attila Lambert/Hungary Today


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