Arany János - Győrei Zsolt (szerk.): The trill of the nightingale (Budapest, 2019)
V - „'Tis enough if it shines for me” - The Ceremonial Opening of the Bridge (Thomas Cooper)
The Ceremonial Opening of the Bridge “Then I’ll go double,” says the kid, The dealer gives the card a toss, It twirls and falls, can’t take it back, The boy, he played it all and lost, His last few hopes the modest cost. Bright beads of sweat shine on his brow, A bad streak, an unlucky day, No reason left to cling to dreams, The bet is lost, no more to play. He sets out on his lonely way. The river, the new bridge ahead, With flags still flapping in the breeze, Named after chaste Saint Margaret That very day, midst revelries, And solemn pomp and pageantry. He reaches soon the middle, where The kingbolt links left bank and right. The clocks in church towers on the banks Leap up and toll the dead of night, Below stars shine in waters bright. And while the bells ring high and low, Knell tones that rumble, tones that fade, He stares at the deceitful stars And sees dark shadows in the waves, Old greybeards, infants, striplings, maids. First just their heads, just to the chin, Turn left and right, cast glances fleet, But then they rise and start to chant: “Come consecrate this bridge, this feat, Of man’s ambition, man’s conceit! “Who shall begin? The smitten doves!” A lad and lass both garbed in white Embrace upon the bridge once more. “In death we finally unite!” They leap, as on that fateful night.
