about Pablo Neruda
poem text and reading by Pablo Neruda
download audio
1 min 40 secs
Videopoem using this reading by Dave Bonta.
about Pablo Neruda
poem text and reading by Pablo Neruda
download audio
1 min 40 secs
Videopoem using this reading by Dave Bonta.
Here’s a fairly literal translation. I’d welcome corrections.
Fable of the Siren and the Drunks
All those gentlemen were there inside
when she came in completely naked
they’d been drinking and they started spitting on her
fresh from the river she didn’t understand anything
she was a siren who’d gotten lost
insults streamed down over her smooth flesh
filth drenched her golden breasts
she didn’t know how to cry so she didn’t cry
she didn’t know how to put clothes on she didn’t put clothes on
they branded her with cigarettes and charred corks
and laughed until they fell down on the bar room floor
she didn’t speak because she didn’t know how to speak
her eyes were the color of distant love
her arms were made of twin topazes
her lips were cut from coral light
and she went out that door as suddenly as she came
no sooner had she entered the river than she was clean
she shone like a white stone in the rain
and without looking back she swam anew
swam toward never swam toward death
thanks!! also for the awesome videopoem – have added it above. very cool