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Friday, January 23, 2015

Where is the Stork?

This is an interesting poem because it is written in two languages.  The author, Francisco Wills intended them to be just like that, in English and in Spanish.  The poet does not consider them translated.  Together they are one.

Dónde estàn las cigueñas?                                               Where is the Stork?

Los bebes los trae la cigueña                                        The stork delivers babies,
de niño me dijeron.                                                       I was told as a child.

Hoy, recuerdo en mi tierra                                            Today, I remember in my land,
De guaduas y azaleas,                                                   of bamboo-canes and azaleas,
robles y palmas,                                                            oaks and palms,
acacias y plataneras,                                                      acacias and plantain trees,
a jóvenes madres,                                                          young mothers,
que a diario,                                                                  that every day
en los arboles del bosque,                                              in the forest trees,
vieron sinsontes y canaries;                                             saw mocking-birds and canaries,
azulejos y Ruisenores;                                                    blue jays and nightingales,
golondrinas y gorriones,                                                  swallows and wrens,
pero nunca jamàs una cigueña.                                        but never ever a stork. 


Son las mismas que                                                        They are the same ones that
en sus brazon llevan,                                                       in their arms cradles,
sonrientes y triunfantes,                                                   smiling and triumphant,
infants sonrosados.                                                          red-cheek babies.

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