Poem
Julián Malatesta
THE CAPTAIN’S FINAL VOYAGE
The day is a shipGuided by the light.
On the prow, the captain says goodbye to all the crew.
The winds celebrate the pride of this old seaman,
Of this veteran seafarer in the abundant waters of his time.
Nevertheless, there is a deep sadness,
A melancholy of sewage
Sails the pupils of the crew.
The old Juancho
As he was known in the ports,
Had known since childhood when his time would be up.
Now he participates in the ritual of his last voyage
With the self-possession of he who sails his ship to a known port.
Pass on the message! Run and tell the officers,
The boatswain and the chief cook
To stop working!
Go on land and tell the women
that Juan will not return home today!
His ship no longer requires its daily servicing,
It has become a ship guided by the light.
© Translation: 2006, Nicolás Suescún
El último viaje del capitán
El último viaje del capitán
El día es un navíoGuiado por la luz.
En la proa el capitán se despide de toda la tripulación.
Los vientos celebran la altivez de este viejo marinero,
De este veterano nauta en las caudalosas aguas de su tiempo.
No obstante, hay una tristeza honda,
Una melancolía de aguas negras
Navega en las pupilas de los tripulantes.
El viejo Juancho,
Como lo conocían en los puertos,
Supo desde su infancia cuando era su hora.
Ahora asiste al ritual de su último viaje
con la serenidad de quien conduce su barco a puerto conocido.
¡Lleva el mensaje! ¡Corre y dile a los oficiales,
Al contramaestre y al cocinero mayor
Que suspendan labores!
¡Ve a tierra firme y advierte a las mujeres
que Juan no irá hoy a casa!
Su barco no requiere ya los oficios cotidianos,
Ahora es un navío guiado por la luz.
© 2004, Julián Malatesta
From: Cenizas en el cielo
Publisher: Universidad del Valle, Cali
From: Cenizas en el cielo
Publisher: Universidad del Valle, Cali
Poems
Poems of Julián Malatesta
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THE CAPTAIN’S FINAL VOYAGE
The day is a shipGuided by the light.
On the prow, the captain says goodbye to all the crew.
The winds celebrate the pride of this old seaman,
Of this veteran seafarer in the abundant waters of his time.
Nevertheless, there is a deep sadness,
A melancholy of sewage
Sails the pupils of the crew.
The old Juancho
As he was known in the ports,
Had known since childhood when his time would be up.
Now he participates in the ritual of his last voyage
With the self-possession of he who sails his ship to a known port.
Pass on the message! Run and tell the officers,
The boatswain and the chief cook
To stop working!
Go on land and tell the women
that Juan will not return home today!
His ship no longer requires its daily servicing,
It has become a ship guided by the light.
© 2006, Nicolás Suescún
From: Cenizas en el cielo
From: Cenizas en el cielo
THE CAPTAIN’S FINAL VOYAGE
The day is a shipGuided by the light.
On the prow, the captain says goodbye to all the crew.
The winds celebrate the pride of this old seaman,
Of this veteran seafarer in the abundant waters of his time.
Nevertheless, there is a deep sadness,
A melancholy of sewage
Sails the pupils of the crew.
The old Juancho
As he was known in the ports,
Had known since childhood when his time would be up.
Now he participates in the ritual of his last voyage
With the self-possession of he who sails his ship to a known port.
Pass on the message! Run and tell the officers,
The boatswain and the chief cook
To stop working!
Go on land and tell the women
that Juan will not return home today!
His ship no longer requires its daily servicing,
It has become a ship guided by the light.
© 2006, Nicolás Suescún
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