Poem
Luis Eduardo Rendón
EXIT WITHOUT EMERGENCY
I
Mother
I can no longer remember the umbilical cord that choked me in the first cave
nor the dark placenta that covered my birth in the tempest
wounded by pieces of glass of the nocturnal requiem
I sob on roots without absolution
I will no longer, mother, inquire into the misty hotel of birth
only in the single exit
will I find the mislaid gems of my ancestry
but facing the splendor of the great anonymous stars
who will want such a necklace?
II
I resisted
a small petroleum wick
until dawn
I asked myself, I still ask myself
which was, which is the pact out there?
I did not come into the world
waiting for the lament and the darkness to cease
for the conclusion of their wedding
III
Night blotted out my contours
it dissolved my identity
in its forge I cast my keys
in its abysmal taverns I kept blind dates
to fall in love with the flash of her perfume
and her tone of Elis the Brasilian
IV
To survive
from primeval wild animals
from the absent snow and the spectral theater
to agree with death to come out without an oxygen mask
from an oblivion of oases
V
We have not yet learned to ride the mare of fire
nor to resist its absence of diverse similitude
To be flames illuminating the unsuspected!
To be a tight-rope walker slipping in the aroma of a love that will come!
© Translation: 2006, Nicolás Suescún
SALIDA DE EMERCENCIA
SALIDA DE EMERCENCIA
I
Mother
no recuerdo ya el cordón umbical que me ahorcaba en la primera gruta
ni la oscura placenta que cubrió mi nacimiento en la tormenta
herido con vidrios del réquiem nocturno
sollozo sobre raíces sin absolución
no indagaré más, madre, sobre el brumoso hotel el engendramiento
solo en la única salida
encontraré las gemas extraviadas de mi genealogía
pero ante el resplandor de los grandes astros anónimos
¿Quién querría semejante collar?
II
Resistí
pequeña mecha de petróleo
hasta el amanecer
me preguntaba, me pregunto todavía
¿Cuál era, cuál es el acuerdo afuera?
No nacía
esperando que cesaran tu lamento y la oscuridad
que concluyeran sus nupcias
III
La noche borró mis contornos
disolvió mi identidad
en su fragua fundí mis llaves
en sus abismales tabernas cumplí citas a ciegas
para enamorarme del flash de su perfume
y de su timbre de Elis la carioca
IV
Sobrevir
fieras primigenias
la ausencia y el teatro espectral
acordar con la muerte salir sin máscara de oxígeno
desde un olvido de oasis
V
La yegua de fuego no aprendemos aún a cabalgar
ni a resistir su ausencia de diversa semejanza
¡Ser llamas iluminando lo insospechado!
Sol equilibrista resbalando en aromas del amor que vendrá
© 2004, Luis Eduardo Rendón
Poems
Poems of Luis Eduardo Rendón
Close
EXIT WITHOUT EMERGENCY
I
Mother
I can no longer remember the umbilical cord that choked me in the first cave
nor the dark placenta that covered my birth in the tempest
wounded by pieces of glass of the nocturnal requiem
I sob on roots without absolution
I will no longer, mother, inquire into the misty hotel of birth
only in the single exit
will I find the mislaid gems of my ancestry
but facing the splendor of the great anonymous stars
who will want such a necklace?
II
I resisted
a small petroleum wick
until dawn
I asked myself, I still ask myself
which was, which is the pact out there?
I did not come into the world
waiting for the lament and the darkness to cease
for the conclusion of their wedding
III
Night blotted out my contours
it dissolved my identity
in its forge I cast my keys
in its abysmal taverns I kept blind dates
to fall in love with the flash of her perfume
and her tone of Elis the Brasilian
IV
To survive
from primeval wild animals
from the absent snow and the spectral theater
to agree with death to come out without an oxygen mask
from an oblivion of oases
V
We have not yet learned to ride the mare of fire
nor to resist its absence of diverse similitude
To be flames illuminating the unsuspected!
To be a tight-rope walker slipping in the aroma of a love that will come!
© 2006, Nicolás Suescún
EXIT WITHOUT EMERGENCY
I
Mother
I can no longer remember the umbilical cord that choked me in the first cave
nor the dark placenta that covered my birth in the tempest
wounded by pieces of glass of the nocturnal requiem
I sob on roots without absolution
I will no longer, mother, inquire into the misty hotel of birth
only in the single exit
will I find the mislaid gems of my ancestry
but facing the splendor of the great anonymous stars
who will want such a necklace?
II
I resisted
a small petroleum wick
until dawn
I asked myself, I still ask myself
which was, which is the pact out there?
I did not come into the world
waiting for the lament and the darkness to cease
for the conclusion of their wedding
III
Night blotted out my contours
it dissolved my identity
in its forge I cast my keys
in its abysmal taverns I kept blind dates
to fall in love with the flash of her perfume
and her tone of Elis the Brasilian
IV
To survive
from primeval wild animals
from the absent snow and the spectral theater
to agree with death to come out without an oxygen mask
from an oblivion of oases
V
We have not yet learned to ride the mare of fire
nor to resist its absence of diverse similitude
To be flames illuminating the unsuspected!
To be a tight-rope walker slipping in the aroma of a love that will come!
© 2006, Nicolás Suescún
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