(Spanish/English Poem 2) Excerpts from Tinta negra/Black Ink by Xánath Caraza

Transformación, © Xánath Caraza
Transformación, © Xánath Caraza

[Author’s Note: these poems are from my new manuscript, Tinta negra/Black Ink.  The poems do not have titles; they are simply numbered.  Both poems were originally written in Spanish and translated into English by Sandra Kingery.]

 

IV.

 

En la distancia húmeda

De esta mercurial mañana

El acechante verde

Se acerca a mí, me atrapa

Los días fluyen poco a poco

Largas horas

Y el vacío se instala en

El fracturado espíritu

No hay flamígeros latidos

Ni anhelante espera bermeja

Las palabras dulces se desvanecen

Las redes de acero se han construido

Protecciones ante el miedo

¿Qué nos queda?

La creencia de poder estar

La ilusión de construir con otros

Los recuerdos que se niegan

 

IV.

 

In the damp distance

Of this mercurial morning

The stalking greenness

Draws near, it entraps me

Days flow little by little

Long hours

Emptiness settles

In the fractured spirit

There are no blazing heartbeats

Nor eager auburn anticipation

The sweet words fade

Steel nets have been built

Protections against fear

What remains?

The belief that we can be

The thrill of building with others

Memories denied

 

(Translated by Sandra Kingery: Sandra Kingery, Professor of Spanish at Lycoming College, has translated the work of Ana María Moix, René Vázquez Díaz, Liliana Colanzi, Federico Guzmán Rubio, and Kepa Murua.)

 

See Part 1 here.

 

See (Meet Mago Contributor) Xanath Caraza.

 


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