Poem

Horacio Benavides

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Original language

Let’s Press the Night

Now
when our pain
is still young

and we go
downriver
feeling how
the far sea
beats against us

let’s drink
into our mouths
what is lost

And let’s press the night
that generously and miserly
will light and quench
the bonfires

© Translation: 2006, Nicolás Suescún

APUREMOS LA NOCHE

APUREMOS LA NOCHE

Ahora
cuando aún es joven
nuestro dolor

y vamos
río abajo
sintiendo cómo golpea
en nosotros
el mar lejano

bebamos
en nuestras bocas
lo perdido

Y apuremos la noche
que ella generosa y avara
encenderá y apagará
las hogueras

© 2006, Horacio Benavides
From: Todo lugar para el desencuentro
Publisher: J Gobernación de Norte de Santander, Cúcuta

Horacio Benavides

Horacio Benavides

(Colombia, 1949)

Horacio Benavides has published eight books of poetry, the last two of which: Sin razón florecer (To blossom without reason) and Todo lugar para el desencuentro (All the places for mix-ups), won important national prizes. He edits children’s books and has also written a couple himself.

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Poems

Poems of Horacio Benavides

You Say What You don’t Say

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For a Mouth

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Ricardo Reis Has Returned to Lisbon

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As He Who Says Goodbye Many Times

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And I Was Going to the Party

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The Words I Couldn’t Say

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Let’s Press the Night

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Where the dream was

Horacio Benavides

Close

Let’s Press the Night

Now
when our pain
is still young

and we go
downriver
feeling how
the far sea
beats against us

let’s drink
into our mouths
what is lost

And let’s press the night
that generously and miserly
will light and quench
the bonfires

© 2006, Nicolás Suescún
From: Todo lugar para el desencuentro

Let’s Press the Night

Now
when our pain
is still young

and we go
downriver
feeling how
the far sea
beats against us

let’s drink
into our mouths
what is lost

And let’s press the night
that generously and miserly
will light and quench
the bonfires

© 2006, Nicolás Suescún

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