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  • Tico Croes (bio)
    Translated by Frank A. Williams (bio)
E sonido di blachi seco The sound of dry leaves
ta rasca y grawata e anochi, scrapes and scratches the night,
te corta e sombra di seda cutting the silk shadow
di e luna grandi i sonriente. of the big smiling moon.
Mi wowonan ta rondiabo My eyes search for you
cu mannan habri hancho with arms wide open
te ora cu reis di walishali till the roots of the Walishali 2
a staca den mi pecho perfuma pierce my perfumed chest
i a uni cu e hilonan, golpea and join the threads, beaten
di dolor di mi sanger. by the pain of my blood.
Pa bo amor, aire ta haci dolor. The air hurts for your love.
Pa bo amor, shelo ta ronca For your love heaven is howling
i ta tira strena di diamanta. and pelting diamond lightning.
Mi curason i mi curpa ta reda My heart and body reveals
tristesa di un hilo blanco the sadness of a white thread
pa borda un lenso di seda. to embroider a silk kerchief.
Palabranan di huma i marchita Withered words of smoke
a sali for di bo boca sediente, spring from your hungry mouth,
cocobia un sintimento machica and drag along shattered feelings
den e anochi inmenso di cristal. into the infinite crystal night.
Un strea manera flecha A star like an arrow
a cay den e cama perfuma di amor, lands onto the love-scented bed,
unda dos curpa a rama where two bodies branch out
ariba cama di ardor, under a canopy of passion,
pa den bela di anochi nabega te zoja, to sail and roll into the candle of the night,
burachi di un luna grandi i sonriente. buoyed by a grand smiling moon.
[Papiamento]
Tico Croes

Tico Croes is the Minister of Economics and Tourism in his native Aruba and has published two volumes of his poems, Alma Sangra and Portret di un cara Desconoci. His collection of essays Cartanan di san Fuego is forthcoming. He writes in Papiamentu.

Frank A. Williams

Frank A. Williams lives in his native Aruba where he has taught English and has been the Minister of Education. He has published two collections of short stories, one historical work, one collection of poetry, and one novel. All his writing is in Papiamentu.

Footnotes

1. Potrèt di un cara desconocí [Portrait of a Face Unknown], (Aruba: n.p., 1996).

2. The Walishali is a healing shrub that grows in Aruba and Curaçao.

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