Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Raúl Gómez Jattin

A small elegy

Why remain a tree
if this two-year summer
tears away my leaves and my flowers
Why remain a tree
if the wind no longer sings in my foliage
if my birds migrate to other places
Why remain a tree
without inhabitants
besides those hanged ones that dangle
from my branches
like rotten fruit in Autumn

Pequeña elegía

Pequeña elegía

Ya para qué seguir siendo árbol
si el verano de dos años
me arrancó las hojas y las flores
Ya para qué seguir siendo árbol
si el viento no canta en mi follaje
si mis pájaros migraron a otros lugares
Ya para qué seguir siendo árbol
sin habitantes
a no ser esos ahorcados que penden
de mis ramas
como frutas podridas en otoño
Close

A small elegy

Why remain a tree
if this two-year summer
tears away my leaves and my flowers
Why remain a tree
if the wind no longer sings in my foliage
if my birds migrate to other places
Why remain a tree
without inhabitants
besides those hanged ones that dangle
from my branches
like rotten fruit in Autumn

A small elegy

Why remain a tree
if this two-year summer
tears away my leaves and my flowers
Why remain a tree
if the wind no longer sings in my foliage
if my birds migrate to other places
Why remain a tree
without inhabitants
besides those hanged ones that dangle
from my branches
like rotten fruit in Autumn
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère