Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Luis Vidales

SHORT POEM OF THE 5 IRONICAL ARTS

A slender, nimble
statuette,
a twisted bundle
of ironical lines?
Yes.

Some verses
– rhymed or not –
a trapeze
where humour
– a big-headed clown –
unfolds a piroutte?
Yes.

A drawing
by a cross-eyed draftsman,
of a hat
and a pair of booties,
and in the middle a trembling
gentleman
as seen through frosted glass?
Yes.

A jeering rhythm
that comes and crosses through the soul
like a bird
through a place of
variegated landscapes?
Oh! Yes.

Everything very beautiful
and highly recommendable
for ears
of all sizes
and for the grey matter
of any circumference.

But more beautiful
and more recommendable would be
to build a palace
– disproportionate architecture –
in a spiral,
that under the unharmed sky
and without a sign of improvement
would always, always, rise up
slightly ironical
we already know against whom.

Breve poema de las 5 artes irónicas

Breve poema de las 5 artes irónicas

¿Una estatuilla esbelta,
ágil,
retorcido manojo
de líneas irónicas?
Sí.

¿Unos versos rimados
– o no –
trapecio
donde el humorismo
– cabezón payaso –
desdoble una cabriola?
Sí.

¿Un dibujo
de dibujante bizco,
de un sombrero
y unas botinas,
y en medio un señor
tembloroso
como visto a través de un vidrio ondulado?
Sí.

¿Un ritmo burlón
que llegue y cruce por el alma
como un pájaro
por un lugar abigarrado
de paisajes?
¡Oh! sí.

Todo muy bello
y muy recomendable
para las orejas
de todos los tamaños
y para las entendederas
de toda circunferencia.

Pero más bello
y más recomendable sería
edificar un palacio
– desmesurada arquitectura –
en espiral,
que bajo el cielo incólumne
y sin ningún viso de mejoría
se alzase siempre, siempre,
ligeramente irónico
ya sabemos contra quién.
Close

SHORT POEM OF THE 5 IRONICAL ARTS

A slender, nimble
statuette,
a twisted bundle
of ironical lines?
Yes.

Some verses
– rhymed or not –
a trapeze
where humour
– a big-headed clown –
unfolds a piroutte?
Yes.

A drawing
by a cross-eyed draftsman,
of a hat
and a pair of booties,
and in the middle a trembling
gentleman
as seen through frosted glass?
Yes.

A jeering rhythm
that comes and crosses through the soul
like a bird
through a place of
variegated landscapes?
Oh! Yes.

Everything very beautiful
and highly recommendable
for ears
of all sizes
and for the grey matter
of any circumference.

But more beautiful
and more recommendable would be
to build a palace
– disproportionate architecture –
in a spiral,
that under the unharmed sky
and without a sign of improvement
would always, always, rise up
slightly ironical
we already know against whom.

SHORT POEM OF THE 5 IRONICAL ARTS

A slender, nimble
statuette,
a twisted bundle
of ironical lines?
Yes.

Some verses
– rhymed or not –
a trapeze
where humour
– a big-headed clown –
unfolds a piroutte?
Yes.

A drawing
by a cross-eyed draftsman,
of a hat
and a pair of booties,
and in the middle a trembling
gentleman
as seen through frosted glass?
Yes.

A jeering rhythm
that comes and crosses through the soul
like a bird
through a place of
variegated landscapes?
Oh! Yes.

Everything very beautiful
and highly recommendable
for ears
of all sizes
and for the grey matter
of any circumference.

But more beautiful
and more recommendable would be
to build a palace
– disproportionate architecture –
in a spiral,
that under the unharmed sky
and without a sign of improvement
would always, always, rise up
slightly ironical
we already know against whom.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère