Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gustavo Gac-Artigas

intentions

i write to return
to the country i should never have left

the eternal rain on the tin roofs
bathes my heart in my sleep
red flags of my youth
color my desires

i write to shake off my nostalgia
to walk again through the woods of my childhood
to listen to the song of the river downstream
to fly along with a condor over the cordillera

i write to be reborn in your arms
to feel the caress of the wind on my cheeks
to relive the torment and drive away the pain

i write for my people
those i never knew
but whom i embraced from afar

those who walked paths unknown to me
the ones where i took my first step
those that they concealed from me to deny me a second step

i write about those who cannot walk
i write to learn to fly
i write in my sleepless nights
to die in the distance
and return to you in my dreams

propósitos

propósitos

escribo para regresar
al país del que no debí salir

la lluvia eterna sobre los techos de metal
baña mi corazón durante el sueño
banderas rojas de mi juventud
dan color a mis deseos

escribo para sacudirme la nostalgia
para volver a caminar por los bosques de mi infancia
para escuchar el canto del río corriente abajo
para volar junto a un cóndor sobre la cima de la cordillera

escribo para renacer en tus brazos
para sentir la caricia del viento en mis mejillas
para revivir el tormento y alejar el dolor

escribo para los míos
aquellos que no conocí
pero que abracé a la distancia

aquellos que caminaron senderos para mí desconocidos
esos en que di mi primer paso
esos que me escondieron para negarme un segundo paso

escribo sobre los que no pueden caminar
escribo para aprender a volar
escribo en las noches en vela
para morir en la distancia
y regresar a ti en mis sueños

Close

intentions

i write to return
to the country i should never have left

the eternal rain on the tin roofs
bathes my heart in my sleep
red flags of my youth
color my desires

i write to shake off my nostalgia
to walk again through the woods of my childhood
to listen to the song of the river downstream
to fly along with a condor over the cordillera

i write to be reborn in your arms
to feel the caress of the wind on my cheeks
to relive the torment and drive away the pain

i write for my people
those i never knew
but whom i embraced from afar

those who walked paths unknown to me
the ones where i took my first step
those that they concealed from me to deny me a second step

i write about those who cannot walk
i write to learn to fly
i write in my sleepless nights
to die in the distance
and return to you in my dreams

intentions

i write to return
to the country i should never have left

the eternal rain on the tin roofs
bathes my heart in my sleep
red flags of my youth
color my desires

i write to shake off my nostalgia
to walk again through the woods of my childhood
to listen to the song of the river downstream
to fly along with a condor over the cordillera

i write to be reborn in your arms
to feel the caress of the wind on my cheeks
to relive the torment and drive away the pain

i write for my people
those i never knew
but whom i embraced from afar

those who walked paths unknown to me
the ones where i took my first step
those that they concealed from me to deny me a second step

i write about those who cannot walk
i write to learn to fly
i write in my sleepless nights
to die in the distance
and return to you in my dreams

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
V Fonds
Fonds21
VSB fonds
Maatschappij tot Nut van ’t Algemeen
Volkskracht
Literatuur Vlaanderen
DigitAll
Ambassade van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in Suriname
Erasmusstichting
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
College Fine and applied arts - University Illinois
Rotterdam festivals