Selected Poetry, 1937–1990

Dais castelhanas em Sevilha

Dois castelhanos em Sevilha Foi o Convento dos Jesuftas, e mais tarde a Universidade, onde urn tempo Pedro Salinas ditava aos gritos suas classes; mais gritava do que ditava e gritava de tal maneira que tinha alunos nao inscritos, series, nas calc.adas fronteiras. Depois, veio Jorge Guillen; porem como falava baixo e nao o podiam escutar, foram-se os imatriculados. Imagino-o soprando as aulas, como soprou sempre a poesia que fez, com regua e com esquadro. Dura mais a voz menos viva? Como seja, se nao chegava sequer as calc,adas fronteiras, foi mais longe o fio dessa voz. Filtrava entre os guarda-fronteiras. 196 Dais caste1hanas em Sevilha Foi 0 Convento dos Jesuitas, e mais tarde a Universidade, onde urn tempo Pedro Salinas ditava aos gritos suas classes; mais gritava do que ditava e gritava de tal maneira que tinha alunos nao inscritos, serios, nas calc;adas fronteiras. Depois, veio Jorge Guillen; porem como falava baixo e nao 0 podiam escutar, foram-se os imatriculados. Imagino-o soprando as aulas, como soprou sempre a poesla que fez, com regua e com esquadro. Dura mais a voz menos viva? Como seja, se nao chegava sequer as calc;adas fronteiras, foi mais longe 0 fio dessa voz. Filtrava entre os guarda-fronteiras. Two Castilians in Seville It was at the Convent of the Jesuits and later at the University where Padro Salinas for a time taught his classes at the top of his voice; more than explaining he was exclaiming, and he'd holler to the point of having unregistered students, serious ones, on the sidewalks across the street. Then came Jorge Guillen; since he spoke softly and could not be heard, the unregistered students went away. I imagine him whispering his classes, as he whispered the poetry he made with ruler and quadrant. Is a less vivid voice more lasting? At any rate, if it did not reach even the sidewalk across the street, that voice threaded its way much farther. It filtered across all checkpoints. Translated by Djelal Kadir 197 Two Castilians in Seville It was at the Convent of the Jesuits and later at the University where Padro Salinas for a time taught his classes at the top of his voice; more than explaining he was exclaiming, and he'd holler to the point of having unregistered students, serious ones, on the sidewalks across the street. Then came Jorge Guillen; since he spoke softly and could not be heard, the unregistered students went away. I imagine him whispering his classes, as he whispered the poetry he made with ruler and quadrant. Is a less vivid voice more lasting? At any rate, if it did not reach even the sidewalk across the street, that voice threaded its way much farther. It filtered across all checkpoints. Translated by Djelal Kadir 197 This page intentionally left blank This page intentionally left blank ...