Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Veronica Jimenez

Southern islands

A cabin, on the bank of the Baker rapids, a man
abandoned his futile rod, sat sheltered
by the fire, while the girl went for the wine.

Listen, Pablo, or however you call yourself, tell me
what spirit makes the bottle jump from my hands
to break against the wall, revealing who knows what.

The moon, a silver dial submerged, doesn’t hear
the pleas of the man who sees it from his door,
because it must struggle against the current to not float away.

Islas del sur

Islas del sur

En una cabaña, orilla de los rápidos del Baker, el hombre
dejó su inútil caña de pescar y se sentó
al abrigo del fuego, mientras la muchacha iba por el vino.

Oye, tú, Pablo, o como te llames, dime
de quién es el espíritu que hace saltar la botella de mis  manos
para quebrarla contra la pared, inaugurando quién sabe qué cosa.

La luna, una esfera de plata sumergida en el agua, no oye
la súplica del hombre que la mira desde el umbral,
porque debe luchar contra la corriente del río para no dejarse ir.
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Southern islands

A cabin, on the bank of the Baker rapids, a man
abandoned his futile rod, sat sheltered
by the fire, while the girl went for the wine.

Listen, Pablo, or however you call yourself, tell me
what spirit makes the bottle jump from my hands
to break against the wall, revealing who knows what.

The moon, a silver dial submerged, doesn’t hear
the pleas of the man who sees it from his door,
because it must struggle against the current to not float away.

Southern islands

A cabin, on the bank of the Baker rapids, a man
abandoned his futile rod, sat sheltered
by the fire, while the girl went for the wine.

Listen, Pablo, or however you call yourself, tell me
what spirit makes the bottle jump from my hands
to break against the wall, revealing who knows what.

The moon, a silver dial submerged, doesn’t hear
the pleas of the man who sees it from his door,
because it must struggle against the current to not float away.
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