Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Juan Cristóbal Romero

Magallanes’ tombstone

Five serious wounds befell me
and of them all, the smallest
was fatal.
Five darts wounded me
equal parts poison
and blade.

These darts adorning me
hurt the more for rendering me
prostrate.
Birds scoff at me.
How will I defend myself
subjugated.

I used to be well-loved.
Who could imagine that used to
be the case.
Now that I'm debilitated
nobody sings
my praises.

Under the orchard flowers
white worms delve into
my crown.
No one’s dug a grave for me,
a place to rest my
cranium.

Túmulo de Magallanes

Túmulo de Magallanes

Cinco heridas graves guardo
y de todas, la de menos
es mortal.
Me han herido cinco dardos
con su filo y su veneno
por igual.

Estos dardos que me adornan
más me duelen por tenerme
tan postrado.
Las aves de mí hacen sorna.
Cómo podré defenderme
desarmado.

Solía ser bien querido.
Quién dijera que solía
ser así.
Ahora que ando dolorido
nadie eleva avemarías
para mí.

Bajo las flores del huerto
blancos gusanos me ahondan
la mollera.
Ni una fosa me han abierto
donde allegar mi redonda
calavera.
Close

Magallanes’ tombstone

Five serious wounds befell me
and of them all, the smallest
was fatal.
Five darts wounded me
equal parts poison
and blade.

These darts adorning me
hurt the more for rendering me
prostrate.
Birds scoff at me.
How will I defend myself
subjugated.

I used to be well-loved.
Who could imagine that used to
be the case.
Now that I'm debilitated
nobody sings
my praises.

Under the orchard flowers
white worms delve into
my crown.
No one’s dug a grave for me,
a place to rest my
cranium.

Magallanes’ tombstone

Five serious wounds befell me
and of them all, the smallest
was fatal.
Five darts wounded me
equal parts poison
and blade.

These darts adorning me
hurt the more for rendering me
prostrate.
Birds scoff at me.
How will I defend myself
subjugated.

I used to be well-loved.
Who could imagine that used to
be the case.
Now that I'm debilitated
nobody sings
my praises.

Under the orchard flowers
white worms delve into
my crown.
No one’s dug a grave for me,
a place to rest my
cranium.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère