Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jairo Guzmán

DEATH

Death is a specter
without eyes
or ears

It is a faceless thing
expert in public
relations

It doesn’t bathe
but it sings in the lagoons
and uses your name

It knows
all the telephone
numbers by heart
it orders mummies
to give us a little kiss

Death
before existing
didn’t know it would go to the movies
and it looks like you
when you look at yourself
in a mirror of blood
when you’re left
without arms
and your face falls down

Death
is a chronic
self-suggestion
it is a psychological problem

Death
is a collective hallucination
that became
a fact as real
as a bite

Death
should change trade
it should go back
to its brothel of shadows
and then I would ask her
please not to bother me

LA MUERTE

LA MUERTE

La muerte es un espectro
que no tiene ojos
ni oídos

Es una cosa sin rostro
experta en relaciones
públicas

No se baña
pero canta en las lagunas
y usa tu nombre

Se sabe de memoria
todos los números
de teléfono
y le ordena a las momias
que nos den un besito

La muerte
antes de existir
no sabía que iría al cine
y a ti se parece
cuando te miras
en un espejo de sangre
cuando te quedas
sin brazos
y se te cae la cara

La muerte
es una autosugestión
crónica
es un problema psicológico

La muerte
es una alucinación colectiva
que se convirtió
en un suceso tan real
como un mordisco

La muerte
debería cambiar de oficio
debería volver
a su burdel de sombras
y que por favor
no me moleste
Close

DEATH

Death is a specter
without eyes
or ears

It is a faceless thing
expert in public
relations

It doesn’t bathe
but it sings in the lagoons
and uses your name

It knows
all the telephone
numbers by heart
it orders mummies
to give us a little kiss

Death
before existing
didn’t know it would go to the movies
and it looks like you
when you look at yourself
in a mirror of blood
when you’re left
without arms
and your face falls down

Death
is a chronic
self-suggestion
it is a psychological problem

Death
is a collective hallucination
that became
a fact as real
as a bite

Death
should change trade
it should go back
to its brothel of shadows
and then I would ask her
please not to bother me

DEATH

Death is a specter
without eyes
or ears

It is a faceless thing
expert in public
relations

It doesn’t bathe
but it sings in the lagoons
and uses your name

It knows
all the telephone
numbers by heart
it orders mummies
to give us a little kiss

Death
before existing
didn’t know it would go to the movies
and it looks like you
when you look at yourself
in a mirror of blood
when you’re left
without arms
and your face falls down

Death
is a chronic
self-suggestion
it is a psychological problem

Death
is a collective hallucination
that became
a fact as real
as a bite

Death
should change trade
it should go back
to its brothel of shadows
and then I would ask her
please not to bother me
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