Ode To Spain, Translation of Carlos Bousono's Poem: Oda a Espana
Ode to Spain, Translation of Carlos Bousono’s poem : Oda a Espana
(before the Civil War)
(Alejandro Duque Amusco draws attention - in his selection of Carlos Bousono’s poems – to
the fact that José Luis Cano considers Bousono to be the poet who re-introduced the theme of
« patriotism » in the poetry of the post-Civil War (1936-39) era. T. Wignesan)
Oh ! Spain ! the land where
while one fighting bull assailed, another kills.
Drunks flying without direction in the stars
seek to ascend shirt-sleeves at the cuffs.
At the meeting points of unfortunate demise
and of living it up, the merrymaking
goes on until midnight. Accordeons.
More wine. Applause. Uproars. Whistlings. Nausea.
In the midst of this wild revelry, a priest militarily surges up.
Imposes benedictions and awards medals.
He climbs up upon a chair. Harangues the crowd.
A general rising up in the thick of battle.
In the hardened and deserted arenas
on the route of bitter thirst,
multitudes of drunks bracing themselves against the wind,
staggered at the rising of the sun.
One of them was dressed as a bull-fighter.
Another laughed to himself. All were dancing.
…………………………………………………………
In the treeless plain swept by wind : persistent hunger,
Spain stammered and choked.
© T. Wignesan – Paris, 2013
Copyright © T Wignesan | Year Posted 2013
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