anoche tomé un paseo allá . . . a orillas del río enlodado oliendo a muerte y la ví
la cogí a mitades de un llanto que se deshizo abruptamente, tragado por el aire pesado y me quedó viendo leyéndome picándome el alma con esos ojos quemados
¿no te conozco?
por fin, me soltó y con una mediasonrisa y una respetuosa inclinación de la cabeza pasó a través de mí y empezamos a llorar
last night I took a walk out there . . . on the banks of the river mud-drenched smelling of death and I saw her
I caught her in the middle of a wail which abruptly unmade itself, swallowed by the heavy air and she looked at me reading me stinging my soul with those burned-out eyes
have we met?
at last, she loosed me and with a half-smile and a respectful nod she passed through me and we began to cry
The many legends of La LLorona touch something deep inside of me. There is something wild and mysterious in her feminine nature, something that the Western world has tried to ignore. For me, it is also forever linked to a song and to Frida Kahlo, an artist I admire more that I can tell.
I have really discovered your poem with great pleasure. A pleasure enhanced by reading out loud both versions.
It's interesting how the two languages made me focus on different aspects.
There is something more informal, conversational in "¿no te conozco?"
and "y con una mediasonrisa
y una respetuosa inclinación
de la cabeza" depicts a more detailed image then the more "functional"
"and with a half-smile
and a respectful nod".
I like/feel the image of a woman (actually a ghost) passing through you (or the character in your poem). An encounter that is made of changing, assimilating, empathizing.
I'm so glad that piece of Autumn got lodged in your soul!Splendid poem,thank you for sharing!
Eileen
Reviewed by William Cryer (Reader)
Reviewed on August 5, 2007
Chale! Que poema! Algunos me dicen 'lloron' por lo de mi apellido, pero les explico que la traduccion de mi apellido seria 'pregonero'. mensos, jeje. Muy chido, tu poema. Acabo de llegar a mexico, por eso no he podido meterme a authorsden mucho, todavia estoy acostumbrandome, etc. muy pronto pasare por tus poemas no leidos con mis comentarios.
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Keep up the good work
Ty
I have really discovered your poem with great pleasure. A pleasure enhanced by reading out loud both versions.
It's interesting how the two languages made me focus on different aspects.
There is something more informal, conversational in "¿no te conozco?"
and "y con una mediasonrisa
y una respetuosa inclinación
de la cabeza" depicts a more detailed image then the more "functional"
"and with a half-smile
and a respectful nod".
I like/feel the image of a woman (actually a ghost) passing through you (or the character in your poem). An encounter that is made of changing, assimilating, empathizing.
A ghost that awakens humanity in a man.
Axilea
Good Job!
Charlie
Ron
Splendid stuff...
Eileen