Poem
Jairo Guzmán
DEATH
Death is a specterwithout 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
© Translation: 2009, Nicolás Suescún
LA MUERTE
LA MUERTE
La muerte es un espectroque 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
© 2004, Jairo Guzmán
From: La letra y su crímen
Publisher: First published on PIW,
From: La letra y su crímen
Publisher: First published on PIW,
Poems
Poems of Jairo Guzmán
Close
DEATH
Death is a specterwithout 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
© 2009, Nicolás Suescún
From: La letra y su crímen
From: La letra y su crímen
DEATH
Death is a specterwithout 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
© 2009, Nicolás Suescún
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