Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Miguel Iriarte

SHE IS THE SAINT

Faith goes through me but it doesn’t stop
Its sporadic crosses lightly sign
The worried territory of my forehead
Without leaving a trace on my prayers.
Mystery does not find its illusory answer in me,
Since I am not a witness of what is evident to me.

I have only come to your house
Following the mulata before You
Almost naked
There where you only see
Her clay skin beneath the innocent
Little dress wih purple ruffles
And so young I can’t even guess.

And I stay here
Because the stream of light coming from your eyes
Thins the light poplin of your dress
And lets me guess the sacred landscape of your body
Kneeling at your feet in the prie-dieu
While your lips
(delicate morsel of my future kiss)
moving a thread of illuminated saliva
manage to sing some piece of Bach she’s never listened to.

Tomorrow, Saturday,
She’ll invite me for a palm heart soup
And in the shaded patio of her house
I’ll drink a sweet corozo wine
That will make me think a bit about You.

But she’s the saint
Because early in the night
And after all her chores are done
She comes naked to the olive grove
Bathed and confessed
With her body of Christ only for me.

LA SANTA ES ELLA

LA SANTA ES ELLA

Por mí cruza la fe pero no se detiene
Sus cruces esporádicas persignan levemente
El territorio preocupado de mi frente
Sin que dejen aún sus huellas en mis rezos.
No tiene en mí el misterio su ilusoria respuesta,
Como no soy testigo de lo que no me consta.

Yo sólo he venido hasta tu casa
Detrás de esa mulata que tienes ante Ti
Casi desnuda
Allí donde la ves
Sólo su piel de barro debajo del inocente
Trajecito de volantas moradas
Con tan poquitos años que ni tú los sospechas.

Y no me muevo de aquí
Porque el chorro de luz que viene de tus ojos
Adelgaza la leve popelina del vestido
Y me deja adivinar el paisaje sagrado de su cuerpo
Arrodillado a tus pies en el reclinatorio
Mientras sus labios
(delicado bocado de mi beso futuro)
moviendo un hilo de saliva iluminada
logran cantar algo de Bach que jamás han escuchado.

Mañana, que es sábado
Ella me invitará a una sopa de palmitos
Y en el patio sombreado de su casa
Beberé un vino dulce de corozo
Que me hará pensar un poco en Ti.

Pero la santa es ella
Porque a la prima noche
Y luego de todos sus oficios
Bañada y confesada
Podrá llegar desnuda detrás de los olivos
Con su cuerpo de Cristo sólo para mí.
Close

SHE IS THE SAINT

Faith goes through me but it doesn’t stop
Its sporadic crosses lightly sign
The worried territory of my forehead
Without leaving a trace on my prayers.
Mystery does not find its illusory answer in me,
Since I am not a witness of what is evident to me.

I have only come to your house
Following the mulata before You
Almost naked
There where you only see
Her clay skin beneath the innocent
Little dress wih purple ruffles
And so young I can’t even guess.

And I stay here
Because the stream of light coming from your eyes
Thins the light poplin of your dress
And lets me guess the sacred landscape of your body
Kneeling at your feet in the prie-dieu
While your lips
(delicate morsel of my future kiss)
moving a thread of illuminated saliva
manage to sing some piece of Bach she’s never listened to.

Tomorrow, Saturday,
She’ll invite me for a palm heart soup
And in the shaded patio of her house
I’ll drink a sweet corozo wine
That will make me think a bit about You.

But she’s the saint
Because early in the night
And after all her chores are done
She comes naked to the olive grove
Bathed and confessed
With her body of Christ only for me.

SHE IS THE SAINT

Faith goes through me but it doesn’t stop
Its sporadic crosses lightly sign
The worried territory of my forehead
Without leaving a trace on my prayers.
Mystery does not find its illusory answer in me,
Since I am not a witness of what is evident to me.

I have only come to your house
Following the mulata before You
Almost naked
There where you only see
Her clay skin beneath the innocent
Little dress wih purple ruffles
And so young I can’t even guess.

And I stay here
Because the stream of light coming from your eyes
Thins the light poplin of your dress
And lets me guess the sacred landscape of your body
Kneeling at your feet in the prie-dieu
While your lips
(delicate morsel of my future kiss)
moving a thread of illuminated saliva
manage to sing some piece of Bach she’s never listened to.

Tomorrow, Saturday,
She’ll invite me for a palm heart soup
And in the shaded patio of her house
I’ll drink a sweet corozo wine
That will make me think a bit about You.

But she’s the saint
Because early in the night
And after all her chores are done
She comes naked to the olive grove
Bathed and confessed
With her body of Christ only for me.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère