Poem
Luis Vidales
THE TWO CATS
The cat and its shadow. They are two cats – but it is really only one. For me, this explainsthe divinity. The shadow is a more enigmatic cat. It is more of a cat. All cats should be like
this. Smeared on the wall. It would be nicer to see them walk. But then I could not use an
arch-backed cat as a bookmark for where I’ve read up to. But I could stop it on the wall and
under it fix a little almanac. An almanac is a small treatise on philosophy. I have attempted
a definition. It is so dangerous! But – fortunately for me – the cat has undone my ideas – in
a leap – and it has lain down on the armchair – on its shadow.
From a bundle of fur – which looks as if a woman had left it on the armchair – rises a light,
hoarse music.
Now there is absolute silence. I have seen the light music fade in the air like a colour.
© Translation: 2004, Nicolás Suescún
Los dos gatos
Los dos gatos
El gato y su sombra. Son dos gatos – pero en realidad no es más que uno. Esto me explicala divinidad. La sombra es un gato más enigmático. Es más gato. Así debieran ser todos los
gatos. Untados a la pared. Sería bellos verlos andar. Entonces tampoco podría dejar un gato
arqueado de señal hasta donde he leído. Pero podría detenerlo en la pared y fijarle debajo
un tomito de almanaque. Un almanaque es un pequeño tratado de filosofía. He intentado
hacer una definición. ¡Es tan peligroso! Pero – afortunadamente para mí – el gato ha
desbaratado mis ideas – de un salto – y se ha echado en la poltrona – sobre su sombra.
De un envoltorio de piel – que parece como si una mujer lo hubiera dejado sobre la
poltrona – sube una musiquilla constipada.
Ahora todo queda en silencio. He visto la musiquilla desteñirse en el aire como un color.
© 1976, Luis Vidales
From: Suenan timbres
Publisher: Biblioteca Colombiana de Cultura, Bogotá
From: Suenan timbres
Publisher: Biblioteca Colombiana de Cultura, Bogotá
Poems
Poems of Luis Vidales
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THE TWO CATS
The cat and its shadow. They are two cats – but it is really only one. For me, this explainsthe divinity. The shadow is a more enigmatic cat. It is more of a cat. All cats should be like
this. Smeared on the wall. It would be nicer to see them walk. But then I could not use an
arch-backed cat as a bookmark for where I’ve read up to. But I could stop it on the wall and
under it fix a little almanac. An almanac is a small treatise on philosophy. I have attempted
a definition. It is so dangerous! But – fortunately for me – the cat has undone my ideas – in
a leap – and it has lain down on the armchair – on its shadow.
From a bundle of fur – which looks as if a woman had left it on the armchair – rises a light,
hoarse music.
Now there is absolute silence. I have seen the light music fade in the air like a colour.
© 2004, Nicolás Suescún
From: Suenan timbres
From: Suenan timbres
THE TWO CATS
The cat and its shadow. They are two cats – but it is really only one. For me, this explainsthe divinity. The shadow is a more enigmatic cat. It is more of a cat. All cats should be like
this. Smeared on the wall. It would be nicer to see them walk. But then I could not use an
arch-backed cat as a bookmark for where I’ve read up to. But I could stop it on the wall and
under it fix a little almanac. An almanac is a small treatise on philosophy. I have attempted
a definition. It is so dangerous! But – fortunately for me – the cat has undone my ideas – in
a leap – and it has lain down on the armchair – on its shadow.
From a bundle of fur – which looks as if a woman had left it on the armchair – rises a light,
hoarse music.
Now there is absolute silence. I have seen the light music fade in the air like a colour.
© 2004, Nicolás Suescún
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