untitled

Brandon Holmquest translating the Spanish of Julia Ferrer

click here for the Spanish text

i've always lived leaning out onto my water balcony
believing in amphibians and i've even seen mute
sirens
it's true

but it's not enough to see to believe
to believe you need doubt

and i do not doubt

i liked so much to live leaning out onto my water balcony

fluttering around with fireflies
letting myself be devoured by some animal

getting wet only if it rained
weeping only if it rained
dying only if it rained

only if it rained

don't look into the water you'll break yourself

but my shadow answered it will never die
my shadow will always listen to your flute
your heron
your magnolia
your flute

my shadow will always dance with your light

still I saw it hang itself
poison itself
slit its throat
drown itself
burn itself

but my shadow will never die
it will always dance with your light

still hanging from its feet
always dance with your light

i've always lived leaning out onto my water balcony
believing in a visitor who never came
and i've even seen mute
sirens
it's true


                              madrid—october—56—

Brandon Holmquest edits the poetry and criticism sections at Asymptote and writes poems and translates things, usually poems.

Julia Ferrer (1925-1995) was born in Lima, Peru. In her lifetime she published only two books and had a few poems in small magazines. She also wrote theatrical works for stage and radio, and taught theater at the university level.