Poem
Marcela Parra
Sonambulance
Some nights, when alone,
we hear steps throughout the room. The floor rustles
and silhouettes appear just outside our vision.
We feel their presence on our backs
it is an excuse to grip a useless knife
against those who haves no flesh.
What do we learn in seven years of engineering
laboratory investigations and postgraduate studies?
We are afraid of ghosts again.
It's hard to go to the bathroom
because if we sit up in bed
something can catch us from our feet and
surprise!
you nearly wet the bed.
We close our eyes and try to force sleep upon ourselves
but horrid images appear beyond our eyelids
those that replay a thousand times until sunrise
when the first ray of the sun reminds us
that the floorboards creaks
and the water tap keeps on dripping
We admit to ourselvesthat the threatening claw preparing to pounce
in the mourning proved to be
the bush’s timid silhouette.
© Translation: 2015, Erin Stagg
Sonambulancia
Sonambulancia
Algunas noches, estando solos,
Se escuchan pasos que recorren el cuarto. El piso suena
y aparecen siluetas de reojo.
Sentimos su presencia por la espalda,excusa para tomar un cuchillo inútil
contra aquellos que no tienen carne.
Qué nos enseñaron los siete años de ingeniería
las prácticas de laboratorio y los posgrados en el extranjero.
Tenemos miedo y volvemos a creer en los fantasmas.
No podemos ir al baño
porque al sentarnos en la cama, algo
nos puede tomar los pies y
¡sorpresa!
por eso casi nos hacemos encima.
Al cerrar los ojos, forzando el sueño
se proyectan sobre los párpados
imágenes horribles
las que quinientas veces
replican hasta el amanecer.
Cuando un rayo de sol nos recuerda
que las tablas viejas crujen
y la llave del lavaplatos
sigue goteando. Que volvimos a rendirnosante el asecho de una garra amenazadora
que resultó ser por la mañana
la tímida silueta de un arbusto.
© 2010, Marcela Parra
From: Ambulancia
Publisher: Cuadrodetiza , Santiago de Chile
From: Ambulancia
Publisher: Cuadrodetiza , Santiago de Chile
Poems
Poems of Marcela Parra
Close
Sonambulance
Some nights, when alone,
we hear steps throughout the room. The floor rustles
and silhouettes appear just outside our vision.
We feel their presence on our backs
it is an excuse to grip a useless knife
against those who haves no flesh.
What do we learn in seven years of engineering
laboratory investigations and postgraduate studies?
We are afraid of ghosts again.
It's hard to go to the bathroom
because if we sit up in bed
something can catch us from our feet and
surprise!
you nearly wet the bed.
We close our eyes and try to force sleep upon ourselves
but horrid images appear beyond our eyelids
those that replay a thousand times until sunrise
when the first ray of the sun reminds us
that the floorboards creaks
and the water tap keeps on dripping
We admit to ourselvesthat the threatening claw preparing to pounce
in the mourning proved to be
the bush’s timid silhouette.
© 2015, Erin Stagg
From: Ambulancia
From: Ambulancia
Sonambulance
Some nights, when alone,
we hear steps throughout the room. The floor rustles
and silhouettes appear just outside our vision.
We feel their presence on our backs
it is an excuse to grip a useless knife
against those who haves no flesh.
What do we learn in seven years of engineering
laboratory investigations and postgraduate studies?
We are afraid of ghosts again.
It's hard to go to the bathroom
because if we sit up in bed
something can catch us from our feet and
surprise!
you nearly wet the bed.
We close our eyes and try to force sleep upon ourselves
but horrid images appear beyond our eyelids
those that replay a thousand times until sunrise
when the first ray of the sun reminds us
that the floorboards creaks
and the water tap keeps on dripping
We admit to ourselvesthat the threatening claw preparing to pounce
in the mourning proved to be
the bush’s timid silhouette.
© 2015, Erin Stagg
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