Lima,
City with the Stretched out Wings
It's an ink-black night: no stars: a moon in sight
Just dots of: red, green and white-white lights
As the plane descends, descends, slides down
On the long-drawn-out-spun-out lingering city of lights
Uneven as a crumbled cake, lit up like a Christmas tree-
The sleepless city, with its stretched out wings
Stretching from the mountains to the sea-
Winding through the valley's, forests, and streams
Stretches, stretches its naked wings-endlessly
As,
I'm descending, down, over and around the city
(descending, descending, and sliding to the ground)
The city with stretched out wings-and endless lights
Down, behind, around, the ground, it's immune to me
I'm just part of its evening, a baptism in its inky sea
Invisible people: cats, dogs, birds, and rats-infinite
Uncountable: dots; streams of lit dots, dot-lights;
People: walking, talking, sleeping, eating by the dots
People: waiting, killing, robbing, praying, by the dots
For tomorrow, tomorrow and another tomorrow
They say-:
you are ruthless, and I know this to be true
And they tell me you have thieves and murders-
And this, I dare say-but shall-is also true, very true
But show me a city to the contrary of eight-million-?
I shake my fist and say: '?show me! But no one does'
So alive, so brave, with strong and hungry hearts;
I say, show me one that sings in poverty and smiles
Prove me one that celebrates year-round of its heroes
Show me painters that are as good-that sell on streets-
As good as: Picasso, Dali, Rembrandt, and Yang Yang
And that welcomes the world with stretched out arms-
Show me all this, or some of this, and I will say no more
With this,
I descend to its streets, its crowed winding streets
As well as, to its neighborhoods with dust and soiled air,
And hear the laughs of the children; the dogs on roofs
Sights of the shoe-shiners: men and boys, in the parks
And the numerous food carts; -- musicians, paper sellers
And with its naked featherless wings, covering all
-My Lima, Peru with its renowned Cathedral:
Golden yellow with towering crowns, and
Within its plaza-square, a water fountain-celebrated.
Under its sins, with its wrinkled aged men, lovely women,
They all stand tall and bow to its Inca history, its glory-
Its world that once ruled all, like the Roman Empire,
Like the American Dream, they were the noble, the kings
And now, from drudgery and toil, sweat and strive, all, all Grinding, grinding away, each and everyday, lover of the, King of Kings: Jesus Christ-this is the Lima I know today; a mighty ship that has already sailed the seven seas, now resting!?
Spanish Version
Lima,
La ciudad con las alas extendidas
Translated by Rosa Pe?aloza
Esta es una noche oscura: no estrellas, ni luna a la vista
Solo puntos: rojo, verde y blanco?luces blancas
Mientras que el avi?n desciende, desciende, bajando
A la larga-extendida-plana persistente ciudad de luces
Plana como un panqueque, encendida como un ?rbol de navidad-
La despierta ciudad, con sus alas extendidas
Extendidas desde las monta?as hacia el oc?ano
Zigzagueante a trav?s de los valles, bosques y riachuelos
Estirando, estirando sus alas desnudas-interminables
Mientras,
Voy descendiendo, abajo, por encima y alrededor de la ciudad
(Descendiendo, descendiendo, y desliz?ndose a la tierra)
La ciudad con las alas extendidas-y luces interminables
Abajo, Abajo, detr?s, alrededor, la tierra, es inmune a m?
S?lo soy parte de esta noche, un bautizado en su oscuro oc?ano
Invisible: gente, gatos, perros, p?jaros, y ratas, infinidad
Incontables: puntos, riachuelos de luz, puntos de luz;
Gente: caminando, conversando, durmiendo, comiendo bajo los puntos de luz
Gente: esperando, matando, robando, rezando bajo los puntos de luz
Por ma?ana, ma?ana y otro ma?ana
Ellos dicen--:
Tu eres implacable, y yo se que esto es verdad
Y ellos me dicen t? tienes ladrones, y muertes-
Y esto, me atrevo a decir, que esto tambi?n es cierto, muy cierto
Pero mu?strame una ciudad de ocho millones contraria --?
Sacudo mis pu?os y digo: "?mu?strame," pero nadie lo hace
Tan viva, tan valerosa, con corazones fuertes y hambrientos:
Digo, mu?strame una que canta en pobreza, y sonr?e
Pru?bame una como esa, que celebra alrededor del a?o a sus h?roes
Mu?strame pintores tan buenos-que venden en las calles-
Tan buenos como: Picasso, Dali, Rembrant y Yang Yang
Y que recibe al mundo con extendidos brazos
Mu?strame todo esto, o algo de esto, y no dir? mas
Con esto,
Desciendo a sus calles, atiborrada, zigzagueantes calles
As? como su raro vecindario con polvo en el aire
Y oigo la risa de los ni?os, los perros en los techos
Vista de los lustrabotas, hombres y muchachos, en los parques
Y los numerosos carros de comida, m?sicos y vendedores de peri?dicos
Y con su desnuda y desplumadas alas, cubriendo todo
-Mi Lima, Per?, con su renombrada catedral:
Amarilla dorada con su coronadas torres, y
Dentro de su plaza cuadrada, una celebrada pileta
Bajo su piel, con sus arrugados ancianos, tiernas mujeres,
Todos ellos parados altos, y reverenciando a su historia inca, su
gloria-
Su mundo que una vez gobern? todo, como el Imperio Romano
Como el sue?o de Am?rica, ellos fueron los nobles, los reyes
Y ahora de pesadez, y esfuerzo, sudor, lucha, todos, todos extenuados, fatigados, este y cada d?a, amantes del Rey de los Reyes: Jesucristo-esta es la Lima que conozco, hoy; un poderoso barco que ya naveg? los siete mares, ahora descansando?
Author/Poet Dennis Siluk, web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com
cleaning service near Bannockburn ..I never met a man, who could shake my hand,... Read More
There are many times I set up barriers and walls,... Read More
House of the Goblin [Part Two of Three]Here is where,... Read More
"All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling."--Oscar WildePeople write poetry... Read More
YOU MIGHT THINK I AM STRONGI THINK YOU GOT IT... Read More
I want to get closeI am afraid.Afraid of what... Read More
English Version1) Grendel's DivorceYou must know that I do not... Read More
1) Do?a Leonor's Revenge [1627 AD]Rafael Ortiz's fate Was... Read More
Since Mohamed Ali?then Cassius Clay?announced that he had written "The... Read More
Way of Life: Rhymes of the IncaPizarro (Spanish conquistador ((1525))The... Read More
Advance: in Mr. Siluk's poetry one finds symbolist values, sensuous... Read More
When I hear your voice inside my head it makes... Read More
One of the most important poets of the post-war period,... Read More
Let's follow the poet to his Hell and heaven! Count... Read More
"How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was... Read More
You can show your poem to your mom, your spouse,... Read More
Frog SummerSummer grows hot, for the New-blooded frogs; The bugs... Read More
FIND the MAGICFind the Magic As you release old bondage... Read More
How wonderfully sweet to be a dweller dwelling... Read More
You make me smile like I've seldom done before You... Read More
So Many Einstein'sThe morning mist, insists there is a God.... Read More
If you are serious about seeing your work published by... Read More
Ocean Heal MeOcean heal my wounds Let your waves curl... Read More
When your life becomes unbearable And the light of... Read More
Footprints to Mantaro Valley (Peru; in English and Spanish)In what... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Mundelein ..1) Shadows of the Andes [or: Song to the Andes]I... Read More
English Version1) Grendel's DivorceYou must know that I do not... Read More
I am not the one I was before yesterday.I cannot... Read More
I never thought I would have to say GOODBYE to... Read More
Thank youDedicated to soldiers and their loved onesFor those who... Read More
Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More
In this modern age of technology, busy lifestyles, and obsession... Read More
Truth is stranger than fiction according to many people who... Read More
To many non-specialists of literature, poetry is deeply unsatisfying. There... Read More
When I am climbing up, you are stepping down. When... Read More
Ode to Quetzalc?atlQuetzalc?atl the GreatNo one knew his true name,... Read More
If a happiness poem could bring forth a smile, Then... Read More
We were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Its... Read More
Azra, Azra, Wake up Azra. Wake up Azra, It is... Read More
The Goat and the Ropewhere there were devils I saw... Read More
Frog SummerSummer grows hot, for the New-blooded frogs; The bugs... Read More
She raised me like I was her own daughter from... Read More
Ole Bulky JeepsThrough late summer's heat These bulky shaped jeeps... Read More
I'm not well. Can't you tell? Kinda low, so,... Read More
I wish we had met 20 years ago... A different... Read More
Two Poems and an Analysis ['Witness,' & 'An Old Love']WitnessMy... Read More
A poetic comment that just welled up inside my head... Read More
McLean, VA - "The Healing Conscious" tells the story of... Read More
Ironically, the passion that can neutralize the repulsion for difficulties... Read More
Ah! Leave the gold, wealth and landSays the Inca King?;... Read More
Poetry |