Neruda
SONNET 49
sample mp3
from Cien Sonetos de Amor
translation by Stephen Tapscott
IT'S TODAY: ALL OF YESTERDAY DROPPED AWAY
AMONG THE FINGERS OF THE LIGHT AND THE SLEEPING EYES.
TOMORROW WILL COME ON ITS GREEN FOOTSTEPS;
NO ONE CAN STOP THE RIVER OF THE DAWN.
NO ONE CAN STOP THE RIVER OF YOUR HANDS,
YOUR EYES AND THEIR SLEEPINESS, MY DEAREST.
YOU ARE THE TREMBLING OF TIME, WHICH PASSES
BETWEEN THE VERTICAL LIGHT AND THE DARKENING SKY.
THE SKY FOLDS ITS WINGS OVER YOU,
LIFTING YOU, CARRYING YOU TO MY ARMS
WITH ITS PUNCTUAL, MYSTERIOUS COURTESY.
THAT IS WHY I SING TO THE DAY AND TO THE MOON,
TO THE SEA, TO TIME, TO ALL THE PLANETS,
TO YOUR DAILY VOICE, TO YOUR NOCTURNAL SKIN.
XLIX (49)
ES HOY: TODO EL AYER SE FUE CAYENDO
ENTRE DEDOS DE LUZ Y OJOS DE SUEÑO,
MAÑANA LLEGARÁ CON PASOS VERDES:
NADIE DETIENE EL RÍO DE LA AURORA.
NADIE DEITENE EL RÍO DE TUS MANOS
LOS OJOS DE TU SUEÑO, BIENAMADA,
ERES TEMBLOR DEL TIEMPO QUE TRANSCURRE
ENTRE LUZ VERTICAL Y SOL SOMBRÍO,
Y EL CIELO CIERRA SOBRE TI SUS ALAS
LLEVANDOTE Y TRAYÉNDOTE A MIS BRAZOS
CON PUNCTUAL, MISTERIOSA CORTESÍA:
POR ESO CANTO AL DIA Y A LA LUNA,
AL MAR, AL TIEMPO, A TODOS LOS PLANETAS,
A TU VOZ DIURNA E TU PIEL NOCTURNA.
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