La Sonrisa By Fernando Gutierrez - Translation

The Interruption - Vittorio Reggianini

My dear friend Fernando, an Argentinian philosopher, wrote this beautiful poem and was kind enough to let me translate it.
First you will find the original version (Spanish), then the English translation and finally the Portuguese one.

La Sonrisa
No fue una máscara griega,
ni el gesto de un asesino:
fue la sonrisa egregia,
un febrero sin Olimpo,
en tus labios dibujada.
¡Maldito y gris fantasma!
Vete ya de mis recuerdos
y silencia a los demonios
que en mi alcoba desesperan.
Maldito y gris fantasma,
una noche sin dioses,
errante marchó mi alma:
cien abismos y desiertos
dejé atrás, moribundos,
más sospeché, tu presencia
fue mi sombra solitaria.
No pienso, ni sueño ni lloro:
en mí raspaste una lágrima
y yo, bebí tu viejo licor:
¡Calla! y duerme en mi olvido,
tétrica alma vagabunda,
que no respiro si matas
y ante mi cama sonríes,
triunfante y sosegada.

----

The Smile
It wasn’t a Greek mask,
Not even the gesture of an assassin:
It was the distinguished smile,
A February without the Olympus,
Sketched upon your lips.
Damned and grey phantom!
At this instance leave my memories
And silence the demons
That in bed perturb me.
Damned and grey phantom,
An evening with no gods,
My wandering soul walked:
A hundred abysses and deserts
 dying, I left behind,
Moreover I suspected your presence
Was my lonely shadow.
I think not, nor dream nor cry:
You took a tear off me
And I, your old liquor drank:
Hush, and in my oblivion sleep,
Sad and vagrant soul.
If you kill I breathe not
And before my bed you smile
 triumphant and quiet.

----

O Sorriso
Não foi uma máscara grega
Nem de um assassino o gesto:
Foi o sorriso egrégio,
Um Fevereiro sem Olimpo,
 Desenhado nos teus lábios.
Maldito e cinzento fantasma!
Vai-te agora das minhas lembranças
E silencia os demónios
Que me perturbam no leito.
Maldito e cinzento fantasma,
Numa noite sem deuses,
Mi’alma se foi errante:
Cem abismos e desertos
Moribundos, deixei para atrás,
Suspeitei que a tua presença
Fosse a minha sombra solitária.
Não penso, não sonho nem choro:
De mim uma lágrima tiraste
E eu, o teu antigo licor bebi:
Cala-te e, dorme no meu esquecimento,
Triste alma vagabunda,
Ai que não respiro se me matas
E diante a minha cama sorris,
Triunfante e sossegada.

Comments

  1. Absolutely wonderful, Max. I am totally smitten,lol. Hmmm.., guess I'm beggining to notice, and wonder at the same time, about that distinct gender factor really affects poetic expression, and its relevance to the readers...is it possible that a poem written by a male has greater effect on female readers, or vise versa? Just a thought anyway,:-). Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem, Max!

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  2. If only I could understand Spanish...I think a poem is always better if we can read it in its original language...but I'm GLAD for the translation!!! HI HI HI HI HI...

    LOVELY poem indeed!

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  3. Hey Leo!

    "Absolutely wonderful, Max. I am totally smitten,lol." - yes, Fernando is a brilliant poet (just like you) :D!

    "Hmmm.., guess I'm beggining to notice, and wonder at the same time, about that distinct gender factor really affects poetic expression, and its relevance to the readers...is it possible that a poem written by a male has greater effect on female readers, or vise versa?" - this is an excellent question, Leo! I think that gender does influence poetry a bit (I won't say a lot, because to me sentiments are sentiments; but the way poets describe and pen down situations may differ due to the way males and females view the world): it certainly influences the tone of the pieces written, the structure and musicality (I think that even an angry poem written by women are less violent than those written by men)...
    But I don't think that poems written by men have a greater effect on female readers, no; I think that those who love poetry love it no matter who writes it. Now, I would say that poetic themes play a huge role in targeting readers...I have noticed that love and political/revolutionary poems are more successful than other types of poems...

    "Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem, Max!" - you are most welcome! But I am the one who is grateful for having had the chance to share it :D!

    It is always a delight to converse with you, Leo :)))!

    Cheers

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  4. Hey Amel,

    Indeed, there is nothing like reading texts in its original language!

    lol I am glad you're glad :-)!

    Fernando is quite an artist!!

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete

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