Poem
Eduardo Gómez
THE TRAVELER
After numerous trips he returned to the house nakedhis hands picked up a broken moon in the dust.
He appeared on the road riding a giraffe,
talking about everyday things.
They asked him about the seven wonders
and he gave an after-dinner speech.
They asked about the New York skyscrapers
and he told of a fight of blacks armed with white teeth.
They asked about the taxis in Paris
and he talked about a quaint beggar having breakfast in Montmartre.
He exhibited himself naked but wore thick glasses
and expensive rings armored his fingers.
They asked him to sing
and he talked about trains running over the night.
They asked him to dance
And he talked about the painful stillness of pariahs.
He exhibited himself naked but kept a hundred worn-out suits:
among decoration and medals
a dented mirror
among cosmetics and epaulettes
a perfumed small book
among old-fashioned furniture
a coffin-bed
among knives and revolvers
small lace handkerchiefs.
A thousand far-away cities burned in his eyes.
© Translation: 2008, Nicolás Suescún
EL VIAJERO
EL VIAJERO
Después de tantos viajes regresó desnudo a casaen las manos una luna rota recogida en el polvo.
Apareció en el camino montando una jirafa,
conversando de cosas cotidianas.
Le preguntaron sobre las siete maravillas
y el narró una conversación de sobremesa.
Le preguntaron sobre los rascacielos en New York
y narró una pelea de negros armados de blancos dientes.
Le preguntaron sobre el París de los taxis
y habló de un mendigo pintoresco desayunando en Montmartre.
Lucía desnudo pero usaba gruesas gafas
y costosos anillos acorazaban sus dedos.
Le pidieron que cantara
y él habló de los trenes que atropellan la noche.
Le pidieron que danzara
y habló de la dolorosa quietud de los parias.
Lucía desnudo pero guardaba cien raídos trajes:
entre condecoraciones y medallas
un espejo mellado
entre cosméticos y charreteras
un librito perfumado,
entre muebles anticuados
un ataúd-cama
entre cuchillos y revólveres
pañuelitos de encaje.
En sus ojos ardían mil ciudades distantes.
© 1962, Eduardo Gómez
From: Restauración de la palabra
Publisher: Antares-Tercer Mundo, Bogotá
From: Restauración de la palabra
Publisher: Antares-Tercer Mundo, Bogotá
Poems
Poems of Eduardo Gómez
Close
THE TRAVELER
After numerous trips he returned to the house nakedhis hands picked up a broken moon in the dust.
He appeared on the road riding a giraffe,
talking about everyday things.
They asked him about the seven wonders
and he gave an after-dinner speech.
They asked about the New York skyscrapers
and he told of a fight of blacks armed with white teeth.
They asked about the taxis in Paris
and he talked about a quaint beggar having breakfast in Montmartre.
He exhibited himself naked but wore thick glasses
and expensive rings armored his fingers.
They asked him to sing
and he talked about trains running over the night.
They asked him to dance
And he talked about the painful stillness of pariahs.
He exhibited himself naked but kept a hundred worn-out suits:
among decoration and medals
a dented mirror
among cosmetics and epaulettes
a perfumed small book
among old-fashioned furniture
a coffin-bed
among knives and revolvers
small lace handkerchiefs.
A thousand far-away cities burned in his eyes.
© 2008, Nicolás Suescún
From: Restauración de la palabra
From: Restauración de la palabra
THE TRAVELER
After numerous trips he returned to the house nakedhis hands picked up a broken moon in the dust.
He appeared on the road riding a giraffe,
talking about everyday things.
They asked him about the seven wonders
and he gave an after-dinner speech.
They asked about the New York skyscrapers
and he told of a fight of blacks armed with white teeth.
They asked about the taxis in Paris
and he talked about a quaint beggar having breakfast in Montmartre.
He exhibited himself naked but wore thick glasses
and expensive rings armored his fingers.
They asked him to sing
and he talked about trains running over the night.
They asked him to dance
And he talked about the painful stillness of pariahs.
He exhibited himself naked but kept a hundred worn-out suits:
among decoration and medals
a dented mirror
among cosmetics and epaulettes
a perfumed small book
among old-fashioned furniture
a coffin-bed
among knives and revolvers
small lace handkerchiefs.
A thousand far-away cities burned in his eyes.
© 2008, Nicolás Suescún
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