The poem presented here is a translation, or rather, an interpretaion of the poem La Jaula © 1958 by Alejandra Pizarnik (1936 - 1972.)

The Spanish La Jaula is most often rendered as "cage." In my opinion, in this context, it is more accurately rendered as "box," in particular a closed box like a cell for solitary confinement in prison. I say this because of Pizarnik's oft-expressed thoughts about pain, imprisonment, and death, a living death.

In her essay La Jaula Mortal (The Deadly Cage), she writes ...the juala ceremony unfolds like this: ... A fallen woman appears, somnambulant, dressed in white.... She has undergone two metamorphoses: her white dress is now red, and where there was a girl, there is a corpse.

You may read my blog entry On Poetry :: Translation for my thoughts on translating poetry.

beto