Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

António Osório

The Tractor Speaks

I don’t like this grasshopper body.
I’m constant, I tremble, others use me,
a slave of the land. I tear open and lay flat.
Through me runs a shaft of painful, serene
transmission. It’s hard to drag
a cow to its grave. I’ve already injured
a leg. I hate the weight of the trailer.
Five years and I still don’t understand these
grimy parts that turn inside me.
At least the power shovel roars
(I love her). Scrap iron makes me shudder.

FALA O TRACTOR

FALA O TRACTOR

Não gosto deste perfil de gafanhoto.
Constante sou, trepido, usam-me,
servo da gleba. Rasgo e acamo,
tenho um veio de dolorosa, serena
transmissão. Custa levar de rojo
uma vaca à cova. Esmaguei já
uma perna. Detesto o peso do reboque.
Cinco anos e ainda não percebo estas
sujas peças que rodam em mim.
A escavadora, ao menos, uiva
(amo-a). Não me agrada a sucata.
Close

The Tractor Speaks

I don’t like this grasshopper body.
I’m constant, I tremble, others use me,
a slave of the land. I tear open and lay flat.
Through me runs a shaft of painful, serene
transmission. It’s hard to drag
a cow to its grave. I’ve already injured
a leg. I hate the weight of the trailer.
Five years and I still don’t understand these
grimy parts that turn inside me.
At least the power shovel roars
(I love her). Scrap iron makes me shudder.

The Tractor Speaks

I don’t like this grasshopper body.
I’m constant, I tremble, others use me,
a slave of the land. I tear open and lay flat.
Through me runs a shaft of painful, serene
transmission. It’s hard to drag
a cow to its grave. I’ve already injured
a leg. I hate the weight of the trailer.
Five years and I still don’t understand these
grimy parts that turn inside me.
At least the power shovel roars
(I love her). Scrap iron makes me shudder.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère