Friday, March 29, 2013

Two poems by Marosa di Giorgio (Uruguay, 1932-2004), my translation / Dos poemas de M di G

1

That young woman wrote poems; she put them near the niches, near the cups. It was when the clouds were going from one room to the other, and a crane or an eagle always came to have tea with my mother.

That young woman wrote unnerving, sweet poems that tasted of peaches and bones and bird blood. It was during the house's old summers, or in the fall, with mists and kings. Sometimes a druid, a monk from the middle of the woods would come and stretch his skeletal hand, and my mother would pour him tea and pretend to pray. That young woman wrote poems; she put them near the niches, near the lamps. Sometimes clouds would come in, the April wind, and take them away; and far away in the air they would shine. Then butterflies and saints would pile up joyfully to read them.



From Magnolia, Lírica Hispana, No 266.







The Lions Circled the House...



The lions circled the house.

The lions always circled.

It was always said that lions circled always.

They seemed to come out of the silver berries and the rose bush.

The lions were dirty and golden.

They were very beautiful;

eyes like pearls, and a sparkling brooch on their chest

amid that burnished hair.

The lions came into the house.

We rushed to hide the salt and sugar vases, the

                                    Halley comet, the beloved snowy sheets, the

                                    stamp

collection. And bring the shrouds.

The lions were both present and invisible, both

visible and invisible.

One could hear the rumble of the milk they were stealing, the clamor of the honey

and meat they were cutting.

They took the dark grandmother outside, the one who had

a guide of tiny roses round her heart

and they ate her coldly; as in a simulation.

And - as if it had been a simulation! - she returned to the

house and said: - The lions circled always. They're in front of the

silver berries and the rose bush. She said: - The lions are here.



From Mesa de esmeralda, Arca.


Two books by Marosa di Giorgio have been published in English: The History of Violets (Historial de las violetas), Ugly Duckling Presse, and an anthology of her poetry under the title Diadem: Selected Poems, BOA Press. 



1

Aquella muchacha escribía poemas; los colocaba cerca de las hornacinas, de las tazas. Era cuando iban las nubes por las habitaciones, y siempre venía una grulla o un águila a tomar el té con mi madre.

Aquella muchacha escribía poemas enervantes y dulces, con gusto a durazno y a hueso y sangre de ave. Era en los viejos veranos de la casa, o en el otoño con las neblinas y los reyes. A veces, llegaba un druida, un monje de la mitad del bosque y tendía la mano esquelética, y mi madre le daba té y fingía rezar. Aquella muchacha escribía poemas; los colocaba cerca de las hornacinas, de las lámparas. A veces, entraban las nubes, el viento de abril, y se los llevaban; y allá en el aire ellos resplandecían; entonces, se amontonaban gozosos a leerlos, las mariposas y los santos.



De Magnolia, Lírica Hispana, No 266





Los leones rondaban la casa...



Los leones rondaban la casa. / Los leones siempre rondaron. / Siempre se dijo que los leones rondaron siempre. / Parecían salir de los paraísos y el rosal. / Los leones eran sucios y dorados. / Ellos eran muy bellos. / Los ojos como perlas. Y un broche brillante en el pecho / entre aquel pelo áureo. / Los leones entraron a la casa. / Corrimos a esconder los floreros de sal, de azúcar, el cometa

                               Halley, las queridísimas sábanas nevadas, la

                               colección

estampillas. Y a traer los sudarios. / Los leones eran al mismo tiempo, presentes e invisibles, al / mismo tiempo, visibles e invisibles. / Se oía el rumor de la leche que robaban, el clamor de la miel / y la carne que cortaban. / Llevaron hacia afuera a la abuela oscura, la que tenía una / guía de rositas alrededor del corazón. / Y la comieron fríamente. Como en un simulacro. / Y -como si hubiese sido un simulacro!- ella tornó a la /

casa y dijo: -Los leones rondaron siempre. Están delante / de los paraísos y el rosal. Dijo: -Los leones están acá.



De Mesa de esmeralda, Arca


Pueden encontrar poemas en audio de Marosa di Giorgio aquí.

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