Thursday, April 22, 2010

Remenbering Neruda - Acordandome de Neruda

Deseo compartir con ustedes uno de los poemas más conmovedores de la literatura hispana escrito por gran maestro Pablo Neruda.  Incluyo un fotomontaje con narración que encontré por acaso en YouTube que es simplemente fenomenal.  Este video lo edito Cesar Senra que dicho sea de paso tiene un  canal-vídeo muy interesante que la pueden encontrar aquí
Sin muchos rodeos vamos directo al grano. - Los invito a leer y escuchar al: 
Poema No 20 de “20 poemas de amor y una canción desesperada” por Pablo Neruda.                          
I would like to share with you one of the most moving poems of Hispanic literature written by great master Pablo Neruda.  Included is a slideshow and narration that I found by chance in YouTube that is simply phenomenal.  The video was edited by a Cesar Senra that has an interesting video channel that you can find here.
Let’s be brief and go directly to the point.  - I invite you to read and listen to:
Poem No. 20 from “20 love poems and one desperate song” by Pablo Neruda.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.  - Pablo Neruda

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.  
Escribir, por ejemplo : 'La noche está estrellada, y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos'.
El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta.
Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Yo la quise, y a veces ella también me quiso.
En las noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos.
La besé tantas veces bajo el cielo infinito.
Ella me quiso, a veces yo también la quería.
Cómo no haber amado sus grandes ojos fijos.
Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Pensar que no la tengo. Sentir que la he perdido.
Oir la noche immensa, más inmensa sin ella.
Y el verso cae al alma como al pasto el rocío.
Qué importa que mi amor no pudiera guardarla.
La noche está estrellada y ella no está conmigo.
Eso es todo. A lo lejos alguien canta. A lo lejos.
Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.
Como para acercarla mi mirada la busca.
Mi corazón la busca, y ella no está conmigo.
La misma noche que hace blanquear los mismos arboles.
Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.
Ya no la quiero, es cierto pero cuánto la quise.
Mi voz buscaba el viento para tocar su oído.
De otro. Será de otro. Como antes de mis besos.
Su voz, su cuerpo claro. Sus ojos infinitos.
Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero tal vez la quiero.
Es tan corto al amor, y es tan largo el olvido.
Porque en noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos, mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.
Aunque ésta sea el último dolor que ella me causa,
y éstos sean los últimos versos que yo le escribo.



Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is shattered,and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'
The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.
 I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.
She loved me, and sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes?
Tonight I can write the saddest lines. 
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.
To hear the immense night, still more immense without her,
And the verse falls to the snow like dew to the pasture.
What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
That night is shattered and she is not with me.
This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.
The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.
I no longer love her, that is certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.
Another's. She will be another's. Like my kisses before.
Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes,
I no longer love her, that is certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer,
and these the last verses that I write for her.
 
©1997 "Puedo escribir los versos mas triste." From Selected Poems of Pablo Neruda. Translated by W. S. Merwin, Published by random house U.K. LTD.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Snippets from a pirate's log


  
Essentials...
Tide, wind, stars and a ship to sail
Shores his heart, his words, his soul
Then parts...

Sweet rum...
Is how to drink and wish to taste
A pirate doses a drink to savor
Words to savor with reason’s past
Taste dreams for delusion certain
Word to savor with heart to last
Taste dreams and bearings certain

Bad weather...
Gale, a storm so strong a squall 
Gusts like furry took its toll
A broken course stood no bearing
In pain to long a shadow sailed
The sea dissolves all
Oh! saline sorrow

Turning rocks....
As winds subside the rain stayed on 
A busking pirate-troubadour stayed calm
Fresh pouring rain splashed sweet verses,
Words like chords blend rhythmic tones
Humming songs of yore to soothe the air
   ...
Beware of words that fall on waves 
That when close to shore do brake
Turning rocks that efforts planted
















Unchangeable...
A pirate course is unknown for certain
Though words like wine the pirate drinks
Thirst and pain that swallow hard
A slumbering self is forced to pause
Inebriated and soaked in words he sleeps
Despite sweet words that rained so hard,
The morning sea remains as always; brine

Friday, April 16, 2010

Vancouver - Super Natural British Columbia


About a year ago Gabriela a friend and a blogger (seis de enero) asked many of her friends  from around the world, to write a few words about the city where we lived.  I accepted the invitation and this is what a I sent.
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Hace un año atrás Gabriela una amiga y blogger también (seis de enero) pidió a varios de sus amigos por todo el mundo que escribieran algunas palabras de la ciudad donde viven.  Acepte la invitación y esto es lo que envié

Vancouver, ciudad puerto que me acoge, cobija y retiene. Rodeada del mar, rios y lagos por doquier - con montañas escarpadas que coronan al cielo esmeralda de su aurora. El mar titila el reflejo de alumbrados rascacielos espejados al esplendor de sus nevados. Que por ser puerto es punto de encuentro cardinal de idiomas tan variados como los centenares de parques que adornan sus calles. Tolerante pulsa vibrante y deseosa espera  tu encuentro.

Vancouver a port-city that welcomes shelters and retains me. Surrounded by the sea, rivers and lakes wherever you go - steep mountains crown her emerald morning skies.  The sea reflects the twinkling light of a glass dressed skyline that mirrors her splendorous snow-peaked mountains.  Because she is a port, it is the cardinal meeting point of hundreds of languages resembling the countless parks that decorates her streets. Tolerant, her pulse is lively and longs to meet you.


    And this is Super, Natural British Columbia!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Queen Meets the Druid

The following morning before dawn the Queen guarded by her fairies and elves arrived on the deck of Eaglehook’s ship where the first mate greeted her with great respect pretending he was sober, but easily betrayed by the pungent smell of rum that exuded at every syllable he uttered.  

Eaglehook’s crew consisted of a dozen half-human half ghost creatures who had been cursed to remain in that amorphous state by the wicket witch herself. During the night because of the lack of luminosity, one was able to see their faces pretty much like anyone else’s, but as soon as the day’s first streaks of light appeared, their complexion turned pale and paler, until they disappeared completely as the sun came out. 


She broke the news of their captain’s captivity to which they reacted viscerally reaching for their swords showing their desires to rescue Eaglehook at all cost. The Queen then gathered her royal posture and ordered the uncontrolled dozen to stop the commotion and to stand in formation for her orders. 

Monday, April 5, 2010

Apologies to all rabbits

I was kind of cynical of them on my last post

As I recall, my mom also hid Easter eggs around the house and garden and we looked for rabbits hidden behind furniture, fences and bushes... My recent blogs kind of signals that I am becoming very detached from my childhood years... Am I getting OLD????!!!!
I reacted like a grumpy nonbeliever calloused by the death of Santa, the funny rabbits of Easter and of tooth decaying candy from auspicious tooth-fairies. I will reform and regain my child back... my most sincere contrition for scaring the rabbits!
Enjoy this video featuring the legendary Buggs Bunny and Elmer Fudd (me!)


Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter

In matters absurdity and chocolate eggs, funny rabbits know it all for nothing has changed:

Then too many stood to watch inert
When the trumpets announce a kill
A few feasted in loud cheers
While the crowds stood still to watch nails pierce
As the One who stood tall was fallen dead
And as if all knew be promised forgiveness
They all rather watched him go
Still today many ate chocolate rabbit eggs