Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

José Asunción Silva

NOCTURNE III

        One night
One night heavy with the scent of perfumes, with murmurings and music of wings,
        One night
As phantasmal fireflies flickered in humid, nuptial shadows,
We walked together, slowly, our bodies close, and you,
        Silent, pale,
As if a presentiment of infinite pain and sorrow
Had shaken you to the most secret depths of your being,
Came strolling along the garden path through fragrant gardens,
        And in the indigo       
Of the vast, farthest, heavens, the full moon shed its unearthly light,
        And your shadow,       
        Languid, mellow,
        And my shadow,
Lengthened by the moonbeams falling upon
The path’s somber sands
Were blending,
        Forming one
        Forming one
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
        Tonight,
        Alone, my soul
Overflowing with the unfathomable grief and agony of your death,
Separated from your being by shadows, by time and distance,
        By the infinite darkness
        No mortal voice can penetrate,
        Alone, silent,
        I walked that lonely path,
And somewhere far away dogs were barking at the moon,
        At the pale moon,
        And frogs were
        Shrilly croaking,
I felt cold; it was the chill of the chamber where you lay,
The cold of your cheeks and temples, of your beloved hands
        Among the snowy folds
        Of mortuary sheets,
It was the icy chill of the tomb, it was the chill of death,
        It was the chill of nada…
        And my shadow,           
        Lengthened by the falling moonbeams,    
        Walked alone,
        Walked alone,
        Walked alone through the deserted garden!
        And your slim, supple shadow,
        Languid, mellow,
As on that warm and humid night of springtime death,
As on that night filled with sweet perfumes, with murmurings and music of wings,
        Appeared and walked with mine,
        Appeared and walked with mine,
Appeared and walked with mine…  O shadows entwined!
O shadows that seek each other, blending together on nights of tears and
                                                                                          [black despair!

NOCTURNO III

NOCTURNO III

        Una noche
Una noche toda llena de perfumes, de murmullos y de música de alas,
        Una noche
En que ardían en la sombra nupcial y húmeda las luciérnagas fantásticas,
A mi lado, lentamente, contra mí ceñida toda,
        Muda y pálida
Como si un presentimiento de amarguras infinitas
Hasta el más secreto fondo de tus fibras se agitara,
Por la senda que atraviesa la llanura florecida
        Caminabas,
        Y la luna llena
Por los cielos azulosos, infinitos y profundos esparcía su luz blanca.
        Y tu sombra
        Fina y lánguida,
        Y mi sombra
Por los rayos de la luna proyectadas
Sobre las arenas tristes
De la senda se juntaban
        Y eran una
        Y eran una
Y eran una sola sombra larga!
Y eran una sola sombra larga!
Y eran una sola sombra larga!
          Esta noche
        Solo, el alma
Llena de las infinitas amarguras y agonías de tu muerte,
Separado de ti misma por la sombra, por el tiempo y la distancia,
        Por el infinito negro
        Donde nuestra voz no alcanza,
        Solo y mudo
        Por la senda caminaba.
Y se oían los ladridos de los perros a la luna,
        A la luna pálida,
        Y el chillido
          De las ranas
Sentí frío. Era el frío que tenían en tu alcoba
Tus mejillas y tus sienes y tus manos adoradas
        Entre las blancuras níveas
        De las mortuorias sábanas.
Era el frío del sepulcro, era el frío de la muerte,
        Era el frío de la nada.
        Y mi sombra
        Por los rayos de la luna proyectada
        Iba sola
        Iba sola
        Iba sola por la estepa solitaria.
        Y tu sombra esbelta y ágil;
        Fina y lánguida
Como en esa noche tibia de la muerta primavera,
Como en esa noche llena de perfumes, de murmullos y de música de alas,
        Se acercó y marchó con ella,
        Se acercó y marchó con ella,
Se acercó y marchó con ella... ¡Oh las sombras enlazadas!
¡Oh las sombras que se juntan y se buscan en las noches de negruras y de
                                                                                                 [lágrimas!...
Close

NOCTURNE III

        One night
One night heavy with the scent of perfumes, with murmurings and music of wings,
        One night
As phantasmal fireflies flickered in humid, nuptial shadows,
We walked together, slowly, our bodies close, and you,
        Silent, pale,
As if a presentiment of infinite pain and sorrow
Had shaken you to the most secret depths of your being,
Came strolling along the garden path through fragrant gardens,
        And in the indigo       
Of the vast, farthest, heavens, the full moon shed its unearthly light,
        And your shadow,       
        Languid, mellow,
        And my shadow,
Lengthened by the moonbeams falling upon
The path’s somber sands
Were blending,
        Forming one
        Forming one
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
        Tonight,
        Alone, my soul
Overflowing with the unfathomable grief and agony of your death,
Separated from your being by shadows, by time and distance,
        By the infinite darkness
        No mortal voice can penetrate,
        Alone, silent,
        I walked that lonely path,
And somewhere far away dogs were barking at the moon,
        At the pale moon,
        And frogs were
        Shrilly croaking,
I felt cold; it was the chill of the chamber where you lay,
The cold of your cheeks and temples, of your beloved hands
        Among the snowy folds
        Of mortuary sheets,
It was the icy chill of the tomb, it was the chill of death,
        It was the chill of nada…
        And my shadow,           
        Lengthened by the falling moonbeams,    
        Walked alone,
        Walked alone,
        Walked alone through the deserted garden!
        And your slim, supple shadow,
        Languid, mellow,
As on that warm and humid night of springtime death,
As on that night filled with sweet perfumes, with murmurings and music of wings,
        Appeared and walked with mine,
        Appeared and walked with mine,
Appeared and walked with mine…  O shadows entwined!
O shadows that seek each other, blending together on nights of tears and
                                                                                          [black despair!

NOCTURNE III

        One night
One night heavy with the scent of perfumes, with murmurings and music of wings,
        One night
As phantasmal fireflies flickered in humid, nuptial shadows,
We walked together, slowly, our bodies close, and you,
        Silent, pale,
As if a presentiment of infinite pain and sorrow
Had shaken you to the most secret depths of your being,
Came strolling along the garden path through fragrant gardens,
        And in the indigo       
Of the vast, farthest, heavens, the full moon shed its unearthly light,
        And your shadow,       
        Languid, mellow,
        And my shadow,
Lengthened by the moonbeams falling upon
The path’s somber sands
Were blending,
        Forming one
        Forming one
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
Forming one long, lonely shadow!
        Tonight,
        Alone, my soul
Overflowing with the unfathomable grief and agony of your death,
Separated from your being by shadows, by time and distance,
        By the infinite darkness
        No mortal voice can penetrate,
        Alone, silent,
        I walked that lonely path,
And somewhere far away dogs were barking at the moon,
        At the pale moon,
        And frogs were
        Shrilly croaking,
I felt cold; it was the chill of the chamber where you lay,
The cold of your cheeks and temples, of your beloved hands
        Among the snowy folds
        Of mortuary sheets,
It was the icy chill of the tomb, it was the chill of death,
        It was the chill of nada…
        And my shadow,           
        Lengthened by the falling moonbeams,    
        Walked alone,
        Walked alone,
        Walked alone through the deserted garden!
        And your slim, supple shadow,
        Languid, mellow,
As on that warm and humid night of springtime death,
As on that night filled with sweet perfumes, with murmurings and music of wings,
        Appeared and walked with mine,
        Appeared and walked with mine,
Appeared and walked with mine…  O shadows entwined!
O shadows that seek each other, blending together on nights of tears and
                                                                                          [black despair!
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