I see my mind as a tapestry woven through with memories, dreams and thoughts.

Sunday 19 June 2011

Sunday Snippet

I Am Not I

I am this one
Walking beside me whom I do not see,
Whom at times I manage to visit,
And at other times I forget.
The one who renains silent when I talk,
The one who forgives, sweet, when I hate,
The one who takes a walk when I am indoors,
Th e one who will remain standing when I die.


YO NO SOY YO

Soy este
que va a mi lado sin yo verlo;
que, a veces, voy a ver,
y que, a veces, olvido.
El que calla, sereno, cuando hablo,
el que perdona, dulce, cuando odio,
el que pasea por donde no estoy,
el que quedará en pié cuando yo muera.


by Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881 - 1958)

I found the translation ... and then I found the original, in Spanish, which I prefer. I thought that I would share it with you this Sunday - and a little about the poet, which is taken from 'Poem of the Day' edited by Nicholas Albery:

Jiménez was born in Moguer, Huelva, the setting for his story of the young poet and his donkey, (Platero y Yo). Giving up law, he moved to Madrid. When Civil War started he remained in the capital for a time, caring for the wounded and collecting children from the ruined streets.
He moved to Havana and then to Florida, losing many of his manuscripts in the process. Influenced by Verlaine, in his youth, he in turn influenced Lorca and other Spanish poets.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, the year before his death.


A little more than a snippet ... but worth it.

10 comments:

K said...

This is a really lovely poem. You could interpret this in quite a few ways actually.

Dulce said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dulce said...

Con todo lo que este artista escribíó...qué bueno que hayas seleccionado justo este poema.

La verdad es que llegar a saber quien una es... puede llevar toda la vida y, ni aún así.

Gracias for bringing him back today
:-)

aguja said...

Seguro, es la verdad. Hay otro poema me gusta mucho se lama 'Iba Tocando mi Flauta'. Pondré este poema en mi Blog otro día. Gracias Dulce.

Spangle - I think that it is just wonderful and says so much in so few words.

tinajo said...

Thanks for sharing - I like the poem! :-)

steven said...

hello aguja - i haven't seen this poem since i posted it early in the life of my blog. he is such an insightful and perceptive writer. i especially love this poem. steven

aguja said...

Thought it might be your sort of poem, Steven. I was not in blogland when you began posting. What is it? Great minds think alike and fools seldom differ! We can take our choice!

Olga said...

Your choice of poem always impresses me. This one is very introspective.

Unknown said...

Uno lindo poema!
Yo prefiero la versión en español también!

Sorry, my Spanish is not so good!

aguja said...

Thank you, Olga! Yes, it is.

Gina, your Spanish looks good enough to me ... language is communication and your words communicate perfectly!