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Youth - After Pablo Neruda

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"Juventud"

- Pablo Neruda

From: “Canto General, 1950”


Juventud

- Pablo Neruda: From: “Canto General, 1950

Youth

 

Un perfume como una ácida espada
de ciruelas en un camino,
los besos del azúcar en los dientes,
las gotas vitales resbalando en los dedos,
 
la dulce pulpa erótica,
las eras, los pajares, los incitantes
sitios secretos de las casas anchas,
los colchones dormidos en el pasado, el agrio valle verde
mirado desde arriba, desde el vidrio escondido:
toda la adolescencia mojándose y ardiendo
 
como una lámpara derribada en la lluvia.
A fragrance, the tangy dagger
of plums down a road,
sugary kisses on teeth,
juices of life, seeping through fingers,
in sweet ripening flesh,
of meadows, haystacks, the hungry
hiding places in vast houses,
of long forgotten mattresses, wild green valley
glanced from aloft, through a secret window:
all of adolescence burns and drowns,
like a lamp dying down in rain.

The translation is by me. I would very much appreciate comments and improvements and critique :)

 

 

A fragrance, the tangy dagger of plums down a road, sugary kisses on teeth, juices of life, seeping through fingers, in sweet ripening flesh, of meadows, haystacks, the hungry hiding places in vast houses, of long forgotten mattresses, wild green valley glanced from aloft, through a secret window: all of adolescence burns and drowns, like a lamp dying down in rain. *** February 21, 2017

Copyright © | Year Posted 2017




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Date: 5/19/2017 6:03:00 PM
Wow! Wow! Wow! You did an exceptional work Darren and what a gorgeous poem it is. I love Neruda by the way and I'm currently reading 'Fully Empowered' in both languages:) Amitiés
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Darren White
Date: 5/20/2017 12:40:00 AM
That is wonderful :) I love Neruda too, I'll see if I can get a hardcopy in two languages :) Thanks Anne-Marie!
Date: 2/22/2017 7:32:00 PM
You have done so well Darren, muy linda, I cant see how one could improve on this wonderful translation!
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Darren White
Date: 5/20/2017 12:00:00 AM
Wow Wesley, totally forgot to thank you for helping me with the latest rvision!!!!! THANKS <3
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Space Cadet
Date: 3/25/2017 4:20:00 AM
The freshly edited version is well crafted. The last six lines translates particularly well. I'm so intrigued by the skill it takes to translate works. Excellent job. --Wesley C.
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Darren White
Date: 2/22/2017 11:10:00 PM
Thank you for the compliment, Arthur :)
Date: 2/21/2017 1:37:00 PM
I love the poem and Pablo
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Darren White
Date: 2/21/2017 1:39:00 PM
Thank you! Yeah, I do too :) I THINK I did him right by this translation, but you never know for sure.

Book: Shattered Sighs