Verbo

I was speaking of "beauty" recently. Another example of this is included below: “Verbo” by Pablo Neruda, a poet I have long admired. I got both the original and the English translation from my friend T. M. Lauth's web site. She herself did the lovely translation. and it is with her kind permission that I include it here. Thanks, T.

Verbo

by Pablo Neruda

Voy a arrugar esta palabra
voy a torcerla
si,
es demasiado lisa
es como si un gran perro o un gran río
le hubiera repasado lengua o agua
durante muchos años.

Quiero que en la palabra
se vea la aspereza
la sal ferruginosa
la fuerza destentada
de la tierra ,
la sangre
de los que hablaron y de los que no hablaron

Quiero ver la sed
adentro de las sílabas:
quiero tocare el fuego
en el sonido:
quiero sentir la oscuridad
del grito. Quiero
palabras ásperas
como piedras vírgenes.

Verb

by Pablo Neruda

translated by T.M. Lauth

I’m going to wrinkle this word,
I’m going to twist it,
yes,
it is much too flat
it is as if a great dog or great river
had passed its tongue or water over it
during many years.

I want that in the word
the roughness is seen
the iron salt
The de-fanged strength
of the land,
the blood
of those who have spoken and those who have not spoken.

I want to see the thirst
Inside the syllables
I want to touch the fire
in the sound:
I want to feel the darkness
of the cry. I want
words as rough
as virgin rocks.

-- Hulles