|
Author: Dennis Siluk Article source: http://www.contentstock.com/. Used with author's permission.
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 Peñaloza
Esta es una noche oscura: no estrellas, ni luna a la vista
Solo puntos: rojo, verde y blanco-luces blancas
Mientras que el avión desciende, desciende, bajando
A la larga-extendida-plana persistente ciudad de luces
Plana como un panqueque, encendida como un árbol de navidad—
La despierta ciudad, con sus alas extendidas
Extendidas desde las montañas hacia el océano
Zigzagueante a través 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 deslizándose a la tierra)
La ciudad con las alas extendidas—y luces interminables
Abajo, Abajo, detrás, alrededor, la tierra, es inmune a mí
Sólo soy parte de esta noche, un bautizado en su oscuro océano
Invisible: gente, gatos, perros, pájaros, 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 mañana, mañana y otro mañana
Ellos dicen--:
Tu eres implacable, y yo se que esto es verdad
Y ellos me dicen tú tienes ladrones, y muertes—
Y esto, me atrevo a decir, que esto también es cierto, muy cierto
Pero muéstrame una ciudad de ocho millones contraria --?
Sacudo mis puños y digo: "…muéstrame," pero nadie lo hace
Tan viva, tan valerosa, con corazones fuertes y hambrientos:
Digo, muéstrame una que canta en pobreza, y sonríe
Pruébame una como esa, que celebra alrededor del año a sus héroes
Muéstrame 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
Muéstrame todo esto, o algo de esto, y no diré mas
Con esto,
Desciendo a sus calles, atiborrada, zigzagueantes calles
Así como su raro vecindario con polvo en el aire
Y oigo la risa de los niños, los perros en los techos
Vista de los lustrabotas, hombres y muchachos, en los parques
Y los numerosos carros de comida, músicos y vendedores de periódicos
Y con su desnuda y desplumadas alas, cubriendo todo
—Mi Lima, Perú, 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 gobernó todo, como el Imperio Romano
Como el sueño de América, ellos fueron los nobles, los reyes
Y ahora de pesadez, y esfuerzo, sudor, lucha, todos, todos extenuados, fatigados, este y cada día, amantes del
Rey de los Reyes: Jesucristo—esta es la Lima que conozco, hoy; un poderoso barco que ya navegó los siete mares, ahora descansando… Author/Poet Dennis Siluk, web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com
Soy and Menopause - The Menopause Relief Benefits of The Soy Bean & Soy Products
How does soy benefit a women in menopause and help provide relief of common menopause symptoms? This article takes a look at the promising evidence and undenia...
Teenagers Taking Risks
It can be hard being a parent with a teen going through what I term the 'I'm Invincible' phase. This is the phase when teens start doing scary and dangerous thi...
Be Aware Of Your Reasons
You have decided that you want to lose weight and improve your health. What is the first step? Start by asking yourself what your reason(s)is for wanting to mak...
Five Simple Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Credit Score
You can improve your credit score by taking a few simple steps such as paying down your debt, reduce credit card charges, not opening new credit, and avoid fili...
The Non-business Business
"Happiness lies in being privileged to work hard for long hours in doing whatever you think is worth doing. One man may find happiness in supporting a wife and ...
5 Tips To Losing Weight With Convenience Food
In todays fast paced society, it can be hard to have the ideal nutrition balance. This article explains how to use convenience foods the right way and to achiev...
Niche Markets and Mini Sites Profits - The War Has Begun!
Niche markets and mini sites are the hottest subjects around
the Internet marketing area these days. But what you really
know about them?
You Are a Person of Abundance
Heaven is a place of abundance and earth is a place of abundance. Every where God is, is a place of abundance, for God is an abundant God. If God is in you, the...
Inuit Eskimo Art As Investments
Explores Inuit Eskimo art as possible investments.
Effective Talent Management
Dr. Mike Beitler points out research that show that most organizations are doing a poor job of managing internal talent. Make sure that you are not falling into...
Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage
To ensure your success in business you must have a competitive advantage. One of the best competitive advantages you can ever have is to offer a strong guarante...
10 Tips on How to Cultivate Relationships with Editors
If you are an aspiring writer, or you simply want to augment your professional qualifications by publishing material related to your field of expertise, listen ...
Photography - Rules of Composition
Composition is defined as the combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole. In photography that definition is very important in taking quality pictu...
Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Dont Hold Back Information From the Media
Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top tips with the media. Here's why they should...
Is Your Management Style Assisting or Hurting Your Business?
Many times business owners can have significant differences in management styles that can deter the growth of both the employees and the business. Employees can...
Creativity and Innovation Management – Money Doesnt Do It
Though material reward is a significant motivating factor, it is not the whole story.
Here Come the Questions
Why is it that even though I am not positive if I like a guy, because of course it's only been a week, that when he doesn't call for 3 days it becomes a dramati...
The Sure-Fire Ways To Attract New Customers Now
Allow potential customers to ask you specific questions relating to the subject of your business. Giving away free advice can show your prospects your expertise...
Five Steps to Create Your Software Product with Outsourcing
Do you want to take advantage of low cost outsourcing but don't want to write a huge specification? Here are the quick and easy steps to get a complete spec be...
Getting Things Done: A Guide To Next-Action Lists
Next-Action lists are a powerful (yet very simple) concept from David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) sytem, that can increase your productivity dramatically....
Rice Noodles with Tomatoes and Tuna -A Savoury Gluten-free Alternative to Pasta
If you're on a gluten-free diet, good wheat pasta is OUT. But, with just a little bit of effort, you can tease great flavours out of rice noodles. And you can...
Sad Scientific Facts About Love
Disaster results when we see women trying to change a man's behaviour. According to evolutionary biologist Rosie Mestel, what women perceive as bad male behavio...
Treasury Department Falls Short on Blocked Persons List
The list needs to be in searchable XML, not downloadable .pdf, 77 pages with names which are not in alphabetical order and jumbled up? Dah.
Life Coach – Excuse Me?
What is a life coach, anyway? I asked that question of my friend, Elaine, who had just completed her training at Coach Institute. She told me, "Therapy is about...
|
Print this page