Poem
Margarida Vale de Gato
EMULATORS
Was it circus or siege, gesture or stylethe act of embracing? was it candor
such tenderness together such ardor
in a climate of luxury and guile?
The thing we did, was it the same as love,
or tacit touch? the two of us in want
and morningless, yielding to the moment;
getting fucked was an awkward move.
Seen objectively, no one was deluded
it was the real thing – only the placebo
with some excess accelerates the libido.
And I betrayed, unjust . . . long-winded,
that zeal that nothing should be said,
and how I wanted to go down liquid.
© Translation: 2017, Martin Earl
In the English translation the first two stanzas have been switched deliberately.
TEGENSPELERS
Was wat wij deden zoals liefde ofeen zwijgend tasten? – beiden begerig
en zonder morgen onderworpen aan het heden;
was dat wij neukten een aanvaard bedrog.
Omsingeling of circus, gebaar of stijl
de daad van ons omhelzen? Oprecht
en teder was de seks die werd gedeeld
in een klimaat van heimelijke pracht.
En welbeschouwd werd niemand misleid
dat het het ware was – slechts de placebo
in een overdaad die het libido versnelt.
En ik, woordrijk, onbillijk, begrijp niet
met welke ijver er niet werd gesproken,
hoezeer ik vloeibaar wenste aan te raken.
© Vertaling: 2017, Arie Pos
ÉMULOS
Foi como amor aquilo que fizemosou tacto tácito? – os dois carentes
e sem manhã sujeitos ao presente;
foi logro aceite quando nos fodemos.
Foi circo ou cerco, gesto ou estilo
o acto de abraçarmos? foi candura
o termos juntos sexo com ternura
num clima de aparato e de sigilo.
Se virmos bem ninguém foi iludido
de que era a coisa em si – só o placebo
com algum excesso que acelera a líbido.
E eu, palavrosa, injusta desconcebo
o zelo de que nada fosse dito
e quanto quis tocar em estado líquido.
© 2010, Margarida Vale de Gato
From: Mulher ao Mar
Publisher: Mariposa Azual, Lisboa
From: Mulher ao Mar
Publisher: Mariposa Azual, Lisboa
Poems
Poems of Margarida Vale de Gato
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EMULATORS
Was it circus or siege, gesture or stylethe act of embracing? was it candor
such tenderness together such ardor
in a climate of luxury and guile?
The thing we did, was it the same as love,
or tacit touch? the two of us in want
and morningless, yielding to the moment;
getting fucked was an awkward move.
Seen objectively, no one was deluded
it was the real thing – only the placebo
with some excess accelerates the libido.
And I betrayed, unjust . . . long-winded,
that zeal that nothing should be said,
and how I wanted to go down liquid.
© 2017, Martin Earl
From: Mulher ao Mar
From: Mulher ao Mar
EMULATORS
Was it circus or siege, gesture or stylethe act of embracing? was it candor
such tenderness together such ardor
in a climate of luxury and guile?
The thing we did, was it the same as love,
or tacit touch? the two of us in want
and morningless, yielding to the moment;
getting fucked was an awkward move.
Seen objectively, no one was deluded
it was the real thing – only the placebo
with some excess accelerates the libido.
And I betrayed, unjust . . . long-winded,
that zeal that nothing should be said,
and how I wanted to go down liquid.
© 2017, Martin Earl
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