Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Julián Malatesta

THE WAIT

But if you come,
There will be no defeat in this land,
Each night I welcome you with my entire body,
I tear away the dark gauze that covers you
And evade the wary eyes of the guards.
Now that you are naked before me
You light up everything,
You are a convalescent sun that stealthily
Extends its arms and opens the gates of the night.

Your body sails in my sleep.
These are not tranquil waters . . .
My ship shakes . . .

I would like to row but there is no crew on board,
I am a drifting ship
That you take by storm.

Ah! Now you walk on deck
With your bare feet you awaken the voyaging energy
In this abandoned ship.
You go into the captain’s cabin and take the helm,
What guides a good sailor is not a matter of strength.
Gently you turn my ship to starboard,
I perceive your breath, the weak panting that quiets the breeze.
Your eyes on my eyes
Inventing the horizon anew.

We slowly abandon the bay and reach open sea.
Freedom has your name.

La espera

La espera

Pero si tú vienes,
No habrá derrota en esta tierra,
Cada noche te recibo de cuerpo entero,
Rasgo las gasas oscuras que te cubren
Y evaden los ojos cautelosos de los guardias.
Ahora estás desnuda ante mis ojos,
Todo lo iluminas,
Eres un sol convaleciente que sigiloso
Estira sus brazos y abre las rejas de la noche.

Tu cuerpo navega en mi sueño.
No son tranquilas estas aguas . . .
Tiembla mi nave . . .

Quisiera remar pero no hay tripulación a bordo,
Soy una embarcación a la deriva
Que tú tomas por asalto.

¡Ah . . . ! Ahora caminas en cubierta,
Con tus pies descalzos le despiertas a esta abandonada nave
Todos sus ímpetus de viaje.
Entras en la cabina del capitán y tomas el timón,
No es un asunto de fuerza lo que guía a una buena navegante.
Dulcemente giras mi embarcación a estribor,
Percibo tu aliento, tu débil jadeo que enmudece a la brisa.
Tus ojos sobre mis ojos
Inventan de nuevo el horizonte.

Lentamente abandonamos la bahía y entramos en alta mar.
La libertad tiene tu nombre.
Close

THE WAIT

But if you come,
There will be no defeat in this land,
Each night I welcome you with my entire body,
I tear away the dark gauze that covers you
And evade the wary eyes of the guards.
Now that you are naked before me
You light up everything,
You are a convalescent sun that stealthily
Extends its arms and opens the gates of the night.

Your body sails in my sleep.
These are not tranquil waters . . .
My ship shakes . . .

I would like to row but there is no crew on board,
I am a drifting ship
That you take by storm.

Ah! Now you walk on deck
With your bare feet you awaken the voyaging energy
In this abandoned ship.
You go into the captain’s cabin and take the helm,
What guides a good sailor is not a matter of strength.
Gently you turn my ship to starboard,
I perceive your breath, the weak panting that quiets the breeze.
Your eyes on my eyes
Inventing the horizon anew.

We slowly abandon the bay and reach open sea.
Freedom has your name.

THE WAIT

But if you come,
There will be no defeat in this land,
Each night I welcome you with my entire body,
I tear away the dark gauze that covers you
And evade the wary eyes of the guards.
Now that you are naked before me
You light up everything,
You are a convalescent sun that stealthily
Extends its arms and opens the gates of the night.

Your body sails in my sleep.
These are not tranquil waters . . .
My ship shakes . . .

I would like to row but there is no crew on board,
I am a drifting ship
That you take by storm.

Ah! Now you walk on deck
With your bare feet you awaken the voyaging energy
In this abandoned ship.
You go into the captain’s cabin and take the helm,
What guides a good sailor is not a matter of strength.
Gently you turn my ship to starboard,
I perceive your breath, the weak panting that quiets the breeze.
Your eyes on my eyes
Inventing the horizon anew.

We slowly abandon the bay and reach open sea.
Freedom has your name.
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