Poem
Juan Manuel Roca
Ulysses by Name
When UlyssesWrapped himself in No One
Only his dog knew.
Ulysses, a shadow.
Penelope
Was opening her window for the return
And the warrior’s bow
Of battles dreamed.
Dog, woman and bow
Were waiting for No One to come
In their sleeplessness.
When he returned
Become Someone,
The king of shadow
Abdicated his phantom throne.
Ulysses, a shadow.
© Translation: 2008, Julie Wark
POR NOMBRE ULISES
POR NOMBRE ULISES
Cuando UlisesSe arropaba de Nadie
Sólo su perro lo sabía.
Ulises, una sombra.
Penélope
Abría para el retorno su ventana
Y el arco del guerrero
Soñaba con batallas.
Perro, mujer y arco
Esperaban la llegada de Nadie
En sus desvelos.
Cuando volvió
Trocado en Alguien,
El rey de la sombra
Abdicó a su trono fantasma.
Ulises, una sombra.
© 2005, Juan Manuel Roca
From: Las Hipotesis de Nadie
Publisher: Colección de poesía Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá
Editor’s Note: This poem is published here because it was specially selected by Juan Manuel Roca to be read at the Poetry International Festival Rotterdam 2008.
From: Las Hipotesis de Nadie
Publisher: Colección de poesía Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá
Poems
Poems of Juan Manuel Roca
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Ulysses by Name
When UlyssesWrapped himself in No One
Only his dog knew.
Ulysses, a shadow.
Penelope
Was opening her window for the return
And the warrior’s bow
Of battles dreamed.
Dog, woman and bow
Were waiting for No One to come
In their sleeplessness.
When he returned
Become Someone,
The king of shadow
Abdicated his phantom throne.
Ulysses, a shadow.
© 2008, Julie Wark
From: Las Hipotesis de Nadie
Editor’s Note: This poem is published here because it was specially selected by Juan Manuel Roca to be read at the Poetry International Festival Rotterdam 2008.
From: Las Hipotesis de Nadie
Ulysses by Name
When UlyssesWrapped himself in No One
Only his dog knew.
Ulysses, a shadow.
Penelope
Was opening her window for the return
And the warrior’s bow
Of battles dreamed.
Dog, woman and bow
Were waiting for No One to come
In their sleeplessness.
When he returned
Become Someone,
The king of shadow
Abdicated his phantom throne.
Ulysses, a shadow.
© 2008, Julie Wark
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