A Poetic Meditation on Paradox: Selections from Poemas Quince by Luis Cruz-Villalobos
We present here a selection of poems from Part I and II of Prof. Cruz-Villalobos’ collection, which he composed during the course of 2015. Six of these poems have been chosen by Luis for our site and are here being translated into English for the first time.
As you will see below, he has selected them based upon the uniting theme of paradox, a dimension in our current posts.
The first three of these we present today.
Enjoy!
And thank you, Luis!
Poemas Quince
A poetic compilation from one year
Part I
TENDERNESS
The general asleep in his misery and cruelty
Without knowing orders tenderness
The multitude asleep in their brazenness and rebellion
Without knowing ask for tenderness
The executioner asleep in his habit of cold death
Without knowing cries out for tenderness
The serpent asleep in his poisonous shrewdness
Without knowing prays for tenderness
Men asleep in their fierce loneliness
Without knowing demand tenderness
Women asleep in their longing for shelter
Without knowing beg for tenderness
Children asleep in their games and crying
Without knowing cry for tenderness
And God awake in his triune and eternal rounds
From all time asks for us tenderness
Note on the translation:
In the Spanish original (presented below), the refrain uses the same verb (pedir) in each iteration. As this verb, however, has multiple meanings (ask, order, demand, pray for, etc.) which would be understood in Spanish based upon the context, we have made the decision to make these particular meanings explicit in our translation.
TERNURA
El general dormido en su miseria y crueldad
Sin saber pide ternura
La multitud dormida en su desgarro y rebelión
Sin saber pide ternura
El verdugo dormido en su hábito de fría muerte
Sin saber pide ternura
La serpiente dormida en su venenosa sagacidad
Sin saber pide ternura
Los hombres dormidos en sus feroces soledades
Sin saber piden ternura
Las mujeres dormidas en sus anhelos de cobijo
Sin saber piden ternura
Los niños dormidos en sus juegos y sus llantos
Sin saber piden ternura
Y Dios despierto en su ronda trina y eterna
Desde siempre nos pide ternura.
I RETURN TO THE CORNERS OF THIS TERRIFYING MELODY
I return to the corners
Of this terrifying melody
Time and time again
As one who enjoys
Lightning striking into my bones
As one who enjoys
Writhing
In the dark night of the hurricane
So
Sweet and childish
I go back and forth
To the dark corners
Of this melody that has marked me
A tatoo upon my skin and my age
Almost a wound
Almost a hidden mark in the folds of my soul
I return naked stripped of myself
Emptied of history and stories
Only poetry
Only the instant fleeting and covert
So
Time and time again
I return
Imprisoned within the bars
Of a sound that defeats me
Tosses me into the abyss soft and sweet
Of memory gone away
Puts me to sleep in the numb of nostalgia
Of that which never was
Loses me
Gives me
Leaves me
Turns me to the distant plains and mountains
Of places I’ll never see
But have longed for
Like bread and song
VUELVO A LOS RINCONES DE ESTA MELODÍA TERRIBLE
Vuelvo a los rincones
De esta melodía terrible
Una y otra vez
Como quien goza
Con el relámpago sobre los huesos
Como quien goza
Con el retorcerse
En la oscura noche del huracán
Así
Dulce y niño
Vuelvo y vuelvo
A los oscuros rincones
De esta melodía que me ha marcado
Tatuaje de piel y siglo
Casi herida
Casi marca oculta en los pliegues del alma
Vuelvo desnudo de mí
Vacío de historias y cuentos
Solo poesía
Solo instante fugaz y furtivo
Así
Una y otra vez
Vuelvo
Aprisionado en los compases
De un sonar que me derrota
Me lanza al abismo tenue y dulce
De la memoria ida
Me adormece en la nostalgia
De lo que nunca fue
Me pierde
Me da
Me va
Me gira a las lejanas llanuras y montes
De lugares que nunca veré
Pero que he anhelado
Como el pan y el canto.
ODE TO MYSTERY
Mystery
You who come
To my door
And to my windows
As light darkened
And remote
And kisses my mouth
And my temple
With your halo
Come and calm
My desert
Of you
Come and bear
In the long night
Wait
Next to our beads
And breath softly
To know that you are here
While we set off to the other side
Of the sea
Stroke our forehead
With your hand
Soft and warm
Of mother
Stay here
Next to our body
That cries out
Stay and give us
With your gentle breath
The most enduring
And profound peace.
ODA AL MISTERIO
Misterio
Que vienes
A mi puerta
Y a mis ventanas
Como luz oscura
Y remota
Y me besas la boca
Y la sien
Con tu halo
Ven y calma
Mi desierto
De ti
Ven y sostennos
En esta noche larga
Aguarda
Junto a nuestros lechos
Y respira suave
Para saber
Que aquí estás
Mientras partimos al otro lado
Del mar
Toca nuestra frente
Con tu mano
Suave y tibia
De madre
Quédate aquí
Junto a nuestro cuerpo
Que clama
Quédate y danos
Con tu suave aliento
La más duradera
Y profunda paz.