Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nicolás Suescún

THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN HIDING

The things I have been hiding
under the stones,
among the skeletons,
in the dust, in chairs, in sheets of paper,
in my guts,
arise suddenly
throwing thick, viscous
shadows,
like the snot of dirty politicians.



I opened my eyes and they told me
to do like the blind in the country of the blind.
Later they  taught me words
and they advised me to close my mouth
unless it were to repeat that already repeated
and to be meek to reach the kingdom of heaven.
They told me what I could do, believe or wish,
and I moaned at night under the sheets
because I was not as holy as Saint Louis Gonzaga.



They come back those things I have been piling
by the roadway to forget them.
They come as if they had feet,
they speak if they had a mouth,
the patio where I more or less warmed myself,
the rooms in darkness and the light,
the mortal and the venial sins,
the last day of school
the waltzes in the "Home" movie theater,
and all those children\'s parties
with those gifts I gave that had been given me.



They come as if pushed by the wind,
that icy whistle from the high moors,
and they take me by the hand
to take a walk on the very same street
with the beggar woman, her tatters and her dogs,
with the child sleeping in his case of whisky
Johny Walker who keeps walking,
with the sexton masturbating
in front of the Virgin with her beautiful boy in her arms,
with the man waiting for death in the corner,
with the man waiting for life in his makeshift bed,
with all those alive and all the dead ones
and colder than I ever will be in my tomb.

Las cosas que he ido escondiendo

Las cosas que he ido escondiendo

Las cosas que he ido escondiendo
bajo las piedras,
entre los esqueletos,
en el polvo, en las sillas, en los papeles,
entre pecho y espalda,
surgen de pronto,
proyectando sombras espesas,
viscosas,
como moco de político pájaro.



Abrí los ojos y me dijeron
que en país de ciegos hiciera como el ciego.
Después me enseñaron las palabras
y me aconsejaron que cerrara la boca
si no era para repetir lo repetido,
y que fuera manso para llegar al reino de los cielos.
Me dictaron todo lo que podía hacer, creer y  recibir,
y yo gemía de noche, entre las sábanas,
porque no era tan santo como San Luis Gonzaga.



Vuelven  estas cosas que he ido apilando
a la vera del camino, para olvidarlas.
Vienen como con pies, hablan como con boca
los patios donde me calentaba a medias,
las piezas en tinieblas y la luz,
los pecados mortales y los veniales,
las sesiones finales,
los valses del teatro Hogar,
y todas esas fiestas infantiles
con aquellos  regalos regalados.



Vuelven como empujadas por el viento,
este helado silbido paramuno,
y me llevan de la mano
de paseo por la calle de siempre,
con la pordiosera, sus trapos y sus perros,
con el niño durmiendo en su caja de whisky
Johny Walker, que sigue tan campante,
con el sacristán masturbándose
ante la Virgen y su lindo niño en brazos,
con el hombre esperando la muerte en una esquina,
con el hombre esperando la vida en un camastro,
con  todos los vivos y todos los difuntos,
¡y más frío que el que tendré en mi tumba!
Close

THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN HIDING

The things I have been hiding
under the stones,
among the skeletons,
in the dust, in chairs, in sheets of paper,
in my guts,
arise suddenly
throwing thick, viscous
shadows,
like the snot of dirty politicians.



I opened my eyes and they told me
to do like the blind in the country of the blind.
Later they  taught me words
and they advised me to close my mouth
unless it were to repeat that already repeated
and to be meek to reach the kingdom of heaven.
They told me what I could do, believe or wish,
and I moaned at night under the sheets
because I was not as holy as Saint Louis Gonzaga.



They come back those things I have been piling
by the roadway to forget them.
They come as if they had feet,
they speak if they had a mouth,
the patio where I more or less warmed myself,
the rooms in darkness and the light,
the mortal and the venial sins,
the last day of school
the waltzes in the "Home" movie theater,
and all those children\'s parties
with those gifts I gave that had been given me.



They come as if pushed by the wind,
that icy whistle from the high moors,
and they take me by the hand
to take a walk on the very same street
with the beggar woman, her tatters and her dogs,
with the child sleeping in his case of whisky
Johny Walker who keeps walking,
with the sexton masturbating
in front of the Virgin with her beautiful boy in her arms,
with the man waiting for death in the corner,
with the man waiting for life in his makeshift bed,
with all those alive and all the dead ones
and colder than I ever will be in my tomb.

THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN HIDING

The things I have been hiding
under the stones,
among the skeletons,
in the dust, in chairs, in sheets of paper,
in my guts,
arise suddenly
throwing thick, viscous
shadows,
like the snot of dirty politicians.



I opened my eyes and they told me
to do like the blind in the country of the blind.
Later they  taught me words
and they advised me to close my mouth
unless it were to repeat that already repeated
and to be meek to reach the kingdom of heaven.
They told me what I could do, believe or wish,
and I moaned at night under the sheets
because I was not as holy as Saint Louis Gonzaga.



They come back those things I have been piling
by the roadway to forget them.
They come as if they had feet,
they speak if they had a mouth,
the patio where I more or less warmed myself,
the rooms in darkness and the light,
the mortal and the venial sins,
the last day of school
the waltzes in the "Home" movie theater,
and all those children\'s parties
with those gifts I gave that had been given me.



They come as if pushed by the wind,
that icy whistle from the high moors,
and they take me by the hand
to take a walk on the very same street
with the beggar woman, her tatters and her dogs,
with the child sleeping in his case of whisky
Johny Walker who keeps walking,
with the sexton masturbating
in front of the Virgin with her beautiful boy in her arms,
with the man waiting for death in the corner,
with the man waiting for life in his makeshift bed,
with all those alive and all the dead ones
and colder than I ever will be in my tomb.
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