Tag Archives: Spanish-English

Neruda XCI

[XCI]La edad nos cubre como la llovizna,Age covers us like drizzle,interminable y árido es el tiempo,interminable and arid is time,una pluma de sal toca tu rostro,a feather of salt touches your face,una gotera carcomió mi traje:a falling drop etched away … Continue reading

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Ether, Either, Eater

I’ve had a unique opportunity to parley with a friend over how the intervocalic “d” sounds in Spanish word endings such as “-ado,” “-edo,” “-ido,” “-odo,” and “-udo.” English-speaking students of Spanish will tend to say such endings with the … Continue reading

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Neruda XCII

[XCII]Amor mío, si muero y tú no mueres,My love, if I die and you don’t die,no demos al dolor más territorio:let us not give grief more territory:amor mío, si mueres y no muero,my love, if you die and I don’t … Continue reading

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Neruda XVII: Queue Jumper

Robin Williams performs (I use the word advisedly) Pablo Neruda’s sonnet XVII in a scene from Williams’s movie “Patch Adams” (www.pocketfulofpoesy.com). “Patch” recites the poem at the grave of his dead girlfriend. I recoil at the acting out of poetry. … Continue reading

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Neruda XCIII

[XCIII]Si alguna vez tu pecho se detiene,If there comes a time when your heart stops,si algo deja de andar ardiendo por tus venas,if something warm and ardent ceases plying your veins,si tu voz en tu boca se va sin ser … Continue reading

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Neruda XCIV

[XCIV]Si muero, sobrevíveme con tanta fuerza puraIf I die, survive me with so much pure forceque despiertes la furia del pálido y del frío,that you awake the fury of the pallid and the cold,de sur a sur levanta tus ojos … Continue reading

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Neruda XCV

[XCV]¿Quiénes se amaron como nosotros? BusquemosWho else has loved like us? Let us seeklas antiguas cenizas del corazón quemadothe ancient ashes of the burnt hearty allí que caigan uno por uno nuestros besosand there let our kisses fall one by … Continue reading

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Knots Bound XCVI

[XCVI]Pienso, esta época en que tú me amasteI think this epoch in which you loved mese irá por otra azul sustituida,will go away, replaced by a blue one,será otra piel sobre los mismos huesos,it will be another skin on the … Continue reading

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Knots Bound XCVII

[XCXVII]Hay que volar en este tiempo, ¿a dónde?One must fly at this time, to where?Sin alas, sin avión, volar sin duda:With no wings, no airplane, fly without doubt:ya los pasos pasaron sin remedio,already the footsteps passed by irredeemably,no elevaron los … Continue reading

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Knots Bound [CXIX]

[XCIX]Otros días vendrán, será entendidoOther days will come, there will be heardel silencio de plantas y planetasthe silence of plants and planets.¡y cuántas cosas puras pasarán!And so many pure things will happen!¡Tendrán olor a luna los violines!Violins will have a … Continue reading

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