Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Eugenia Sánchez Nieto

Windy City

The wind takes over my city
it blows at dawn with the singing of birds
it ruffles the schoolgirls’ hair, raises up their skirts
arouses sleepers, smells of fresh bread

the daily passers-by with their many occupations
the man pulled on by his dogs, the girl with her white apron
the lost look of the office worker
the teacher stressed by the endless murmur of her pupils
the driver with his merry song, the cyclist struggling against the wind
the model on her high heels almost losing her balance
the tireless lover in search of his lost place
the watchman engrossed in his desire, the sportsman flying his kite
in the long streets of the macarena, soledad, 
                                                                                              teusaquillo neigborhoods

the wind whispers songs in the ears of sad people
it elevates the drunkards, pulls them along the streets
                                                                                                                 going nowhere
the wind embraces them and lets the unfathomable
city sleep with its deep secrets
its amazing streets leading us to unknown vertigos
blue, white, grey, pink streets
back doors, invisible, doors open to the wind
                                                                                            doors without locks

the city of furies with barbaric faces and looks of fear
visitors look down on my city, they abuse it, they curse it,
however, they always stay in
my green city peeking at the setting sun
with wounds that are slowly healing

I fly from the hills and explore the city
its deep green envelops me
my heartfelt desires fall like rain
hallucinating I cross invisible doors, reddish tiles, windows to the sky
I stroll in lost places, I am of this city of this climate
of a distant, ambiguous, critical behavior
the friends of yore with transformed faces,
                                                                                           friends gone, ties broken

there in the middle of the square young people sing waving flags
girls of pale beauty smile to men in mourning
I go about my city I lie in the green garden
earth draws me down, traps me
unexpected choirs pierce the white walls
decided young people tremble in their sleep and the open sky salutes them
my dear abandoned and bounteous city in search
                                                                                                        of its own humanity.

Ciudad de viento

Ciudad de viento

Los vientos se toman mi ciudad
recorren el amanecer con el canto de los pájaros
despeinan a las colegialas, levantan sus faldas
el sueño se despereza, huele a pan fresco

transeúntes del día con sus múltiples oficios
el hombre jalado por sus perros, la muchacha y su blanco delantal
la mirada perdida del oficinista
la maestra agobiada por el murmullo infinito de sus estudiantes
el conductor con su alegre tonada, el ciclista apuesta contra el viento
la modelo en sus tacones haciendo malabares
la amante incansable en busca de su lugar perdido
el guardián abismado en su deseo, el deportista elevando su cometa
calles infinitas recorren los barrios de la macarena,
                                                                                                         la soledad, teusaquillo

el viento murmura una canción al oído de los tristes
eleva a los ebrios, los jalona por calles que no conducen
                                                                                                              a ningún lugar
el viento los abraza y los deja dormir
mi ciudad insondable con sus secretos profundos
con calles asombrosas que nos conducen a vértigos desconocidos
calles azules, blancas, grises, rosadas,
puertas falsas, invisibles, puertas abiertas al viento,
                                                                                                          puertas sin cerradura

la ciudad de las furias con rostros bárbaros y miradas de miedo
los visitantes desdeñan mi ciudad la injurian la maldicen
y sin embargo siempre se quedan
mi ciudad verde asomada al sol del atardecer
con heridas que lentamente va restañando

en medio de los cerros me elevo recorro la sabana
su verde profundo me abraza
mis deseos mas sentidos caen como lluvia
cruzo alucinada por puertas invisibles, tejas naranjas, ventanas al cielo
paseo por lugares perdidos, soy de esta ciudad de este clima
de este comportamiento distante, ambiguo, critico
los amigos de otros días con rostros transformados,
                                                                                                        los amigos idos, el hilo roto

allí en medio de la plaza jóvenes cantan con sus banderas al aire
muchachas con su belleza pálida sonríen a hombres enlutados
viajo por mi ciudad me recuesto en el verde jardín
la tierra me jalona, me atrapa
coros inusitados penetran las blancas paredes
jóvenes resueltos tiemblan en su sueño el cielo abierto los saluda
mi querida ciudad abandonada y plena en busca
                                                                                                    de la mas propia humanidad.
Close

Windy City

The wind takes over my city
it blows at dawn with the singing of birds
it ruffles the schoolgirls’ hair, raises up their skirts
arouses sleepers, smells of fresh bread

the daily passers-by with their many occupations
the man pulled on by his dogs, the girl with her white apron
the lost look of the office worker
the teacher stressed by the endless murmur of her pupils
the driver with his merry song, the cyclist struggling against the wind
the model on her high heels almost losing her balance
the tireless lover in search of his lost place
the watchman engrossed in his desire, the sportsman flying his kite
in the long streets of the macarena, soledad, 
                                                                                              teusaquillo neigborhoods

the wind whispers songs in the ears of sad people
it elevates the drunkards, pulls them along the streets
                                                                                                                 going nowhere
the wind embraces them and lets the unfathomable
city sleep with its deep secrets
its amazing streets leading us to unknown vertigos
blue, white, grey, pink streets
back doors, invisible, doors open to the wind
                                                                                            doors without locks

the city of furies with barbaric faces and looks of fear
visitors look down on my city, they abuse it, they curse it,
however, they always stay in
my green city peeking at the setting sun
with wounds that are slowly healing

I fly from the hills and explore the city
its deep green envelops me
my heartfelt desires fall like rain
hallucinating I cross invisible doors, reddish tiles, windows to the sky
I stroll in lost places, I am of this city of this climate
of a distant, ambiguous, critical behavior
the friends of yore with transformed faces,
                                                                                           friends gone, ties broken

there in the middle of the square young people sing waving flags
girls of pale beauty smile to men in mourning
I go about my city I lie in the green garden
earth draws me down, traps me
unexpected choirs pierce the white walls
decided young people tremble in their sleep and the open sky salutes them
my dear abandoned and bounteous city in search
                                                                                                        of its own humanity.

Windy City

The wind takes over my city
it blows at dawn with the singing of birds
it ruffles the schoolgirls’ hair, raises up their skirts
arouses sleepers, smells of fresh bread

the daily passers-by with their many occupations
the man pulled on by his dogs, the girl with her white apron
the lost look of the office worker
the teacher stressed by the endless murmur of her pupils
the driver with his merry song, the cyclist struggling against the wind
the model on her high heels almost losing her balance
the tireless lover in search of his lost place
the watchman engrossed in his desire, the sportsman flying his kite
in the long streets of the macarena, soledad, 
                                                                                              teusaquillo neigborhoods

the wind whispers songs in the ears of sad people
it elevates the drunkards, pulls them along the streets
                                                                                                                 going nowhere
the wind embraces them and lets the unfathomable
city sleep with its deep secrets
its amazing streets leading us to unknown vertigos
blue, white, grey, pink streets
back doors, invisible, doors open to the wind
                                                                                            doors without locks

the city of furies with barbaric faces and looks of fear
visitors look down on my city, they abuse it, they curse it,
however, they always stay in
my green city peeking at the setting sun
with wounds that are slowly healing

I fly from the hills and explore the city
its deep green envelops me
my heartfelt desires fall like rain
hallucinating I cross invisible doors, reddish tiles, windows to the sky
I stroll in lost places, I am of this city of this climate
of a distant, ambiguous, critical behavior
the friends of yore with transformed faces,
                                                                                           friends gone, ties broken

there in the middle of the square young people sing waving flags
girls of pale beauty smile to men in mourning
I go about my city I lie in the green garden
earth draws me down, traps me
unexpected choirs pierce the white walls
decided young people tremble in their sleep and the open sky salutes them
my dear abandoned and bounteous city in search
                                                                                                        of its own humanity.
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