Thursday 1 November 2012

WONDER 5: "No te salves" by Mario Benedetti (translation included)

My wonder today is one of the most illuminating poems I have ever read.

"No te salves" was written by Uruguayan poet Mario Benedetti  and included within his 1996 collection El Amor, las mujeres y la vida. Poemas de Amor.





NO TE SALVES

No te quedes inmóvil
al borde del camino
no congeles el júbilo
no quieras con desgana
no te salves ahora
ni nunca
no te salves
no te llenes de calma
no reserves del mundo
sólo un rincón tranquilo
no dejes caer los párpados
pesados como juicios
no te quedes sin labios
no te duermas sin sueño
no te pienses sin sangre
no te juzgues sin tiempo

pero si
pese a todo
no puedes evitarlo
y congelas el júbilo
y quieres con desgana
y te salvas ahora
y te llenas de calma
y reservas del mundo
sólo un rincón tranquilo
y dejas caer los párpados
pesados como juicios
y te secas sin labios
y te duermes sin sueño
y te piensas sin sangre
y te juzgas sin tiempo
y te quedas inmóvil
al borde del camino
y te salvas
entonces
no te quedes conmigo.





English translation:

DON'T SAVE YOURSELF

Do not stay motionless on the side of the road
do not freeze the joy
do not love without wanting
do not save yourself now
nor ever.
Do not save yourself
do not fill yourself with calm
do not set aside from the world
just a quiet corner
do not let your eyelashes fall
heavy as judgements
do not end without lips
do not sleep without being sleeepy
do not think yourself without blood
do not judge yourself with no time.

But, if
after all
you can not help it
and freeze the joy
and love without wanting
and save yourself now
and you fill with calm
and reserve from the world
only a quiet place
and let your eyelashes fall
heavy as judgements
and dry without lips
and sleep without being sleepy
and think yourself without blood
and judge yourself with no time
and stay motionless
on the side of the road
and you save yourself
then
do not stay with me.


DON'T SAVE YOURSELVES!

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