Poem
Eduardo Gómez
ORIGINS
I come from a childhood glorified by sunsand gold monstrances that made one dream
about a flowering heaven of virgins and angels
too remote to truly awaken desire.
I come from fresh and auroral mountains
protecting a river in their deep folds
— where an incomprehensible trip with no return is sung —
and nourishes woods in which the voice
of a child lost forever still drifts.
I come from conventual and somber houses
where chaste women retired from the world
prayed while they worked and warbling expected
to live in peace with heaven as a prize
for their trifling struggles and domestic cares.
Their sedative voices still resound
softening nightmares with humble words.
In that place men became poor with dignity
spoke ill of the political adversary and the Holy Trinity.
I dreamt of the far-off existence of the dead
clinging to the grate of a white cemetery
in full moon nights amongst the pines.
I believed in the relationship between gods and animals
between dead mothers and whispering trees.
I wanted to remain faithful to my childhood games
and to evade the duties of the caged adult
when nakedly exploring the labyrinth of the world
risking getting lost so I could find myself.
Because an extreme contradiction was my lot
it was up to me to contemplate what I loved from afar
and to suffer what I hated inside
and to fly up very high to know the abyss
and to plunge into the mud to catch a glimpse of the heights.
© Translation: 2008, Nicolás Suescún
ORÍGENES
ORÍGENES
Vengo de una infancia aureolada de solesy custodias de oro que hacían soñar
con algún cielo florecido de vírgenes y ángeles
demasiado remoto para despertar deseos.
Vengo de montañas frescas y aurorales
que protegen en sus pliegues recónditos a un río
-el que canta indescifrables viajes sin regreso-
y nutren bosques donde quedó flotando
la voz de un niño perdido para siempre.
Vengo de casas conventuales y sombrías
donde castas mujeres alejadas del mundo
laborando rezaban y gorjeando esperaban
morir en paz y un cielo como premio
a sus menudas luchas y domésticas cuitas.
Sus voces sedantes todavía resuenan
suavizando pesadillas con humildes palabras.
Allí varones con dignidad se empobrecían
hablando mal del godo raso y de la Santa Trinidad.
Soñé con la existencia remota de los muertos
aferrado a la reja de un blanco cementerio
en noches de luna llena entre los pinos.
Creí en la relación entre dioses y animales
y entre madres muertas y árboles susurrantes.
Quise permanecer fiel a los juegos de infancia
y burlar los deberes del adulto enjaulado
al explorar desnudo el laberinto del mundo
arriesgando el perderme para poder encontrarme.
Porque la contradicción extrema fue mi sino
me tocó contemplar de lejos lo que amaba
y padecer por dentro lo que odiaba
volar muy alto para conocer el abismo
y sumergirme en el fango para vislumbrar las alturas.
© 1986, Eduardo Gómez
From: Las claves secretas
Publisher: Trilce Editores, Bogotá
From: Las claves secretas
Publisher: Trilce Editores, Bogotá
Poems
Poems of Eduardo Gómez
Close
ORIGINS
I come from a childhood glorified by sunsand gold monstrances that made one dream
about a flowering heaven of virgins and angels
too remote to truly awaken desire.
I come from fresh and auroral mountains
protecting a river in their deep folds
— where an incomprehensible trip with no return is sung —
and nourishes woods in which the voice
of a child lost forever still drifts.
I come from conventual and somber houses
where chaste women retired from the world
prayed while they worked and warbling expected
to live in peace with heaven as a prize
for their trifling struggles and domestic cares.
Their sedative voices still resound
softening nightmares with humble words.
In that place men became poor with dignity
spoke ill of the political adversary and the Holy Trinity.
I dreamt of the far-off existence of the dead
clinging to the grate of a white cemetery
in full moon nights amongst the pines.
I believed in the relationship between gods and animals
between dead mothers and whispering trees.
I wanted to remain faithful to my childhood games
and to evade the duties of the caged adult
when nakedly exploring the labyrinth of the world
risking getting lost so I could find myself.
Because an extreme contradiction was my lot
it was up to me to contemplate what I loved from afar
and to suffer what I hated inside
and to fly up very high to know the abyss
and to plunge into the mud to catch a glimpse of the heights.
© 2008, Nicolás Suescún
From: Las claves secretas
From: Las claves secretas
ORIGINS
I come from a childhood glorified by sunsand gold monstrances that made one dream
about a flowering heaven of virgins and angels
too remote to truly awaken desire.
I come from fresh and auroral mountains
protecting a river in their deep folds
— where an incomprehensible trip with no return is sung —
and nourishes woods in which the voice
of a child lost forever still drifts.
I come from conventual and somber houses
where chaste women retired from the world
prayed while they worked and warbling expected
to live in peace with heaven as a prize
for their trifling struggles and domestic cares.
Their sedative voices still resound
softening nightmares with humble words.
In that place men became poor with dignity
spoke ill of the political adversary and the Holy Trinity.
I dreamt of the far-off existence of the dead
clinging to the grate of a white cemetery
in full moon nights amongst the pines.
I believed in the relationship between gods and animals
between dead mothers and whispering trees.
I wanted to remain faithful to my childhood games
and to evade the duties of the caged adult
when nakedly exploring the labyrinth of the world
risking getting lost so I could find myself.
Because an extreme contradiction was my lot
it was up to me to contemplate what I loved from afar
and to suffer what I hated inside
and to fly up very high to know the abyss
and to plunge into the mud to catch a glimpse of the heights.
© 2008, Nicolás Suescún
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