El Temblor

The Tremor

El Temblor

The mercury will rise in every roomSubirá el azogue en cada estancia
If they see us enter like lost elephantsSi nos ven entrar como elefantes perdidos
In search of another pathEn busca de otro derrotero
Perhaps more innocent, less resentfulQuizá más inocente, menos resentido
That doesn't fade in what has been livedQue no se desviva en lo vivido
That dies seeking a new horizonQue muera buscando un horizonte nuevo

We didn't eat anything: We counted twentyNo comimos nada: Contamos veinte
With the most urgent bargaining, the tavern keepers dancedCon el mercadeo más urgente, danzaron
Their nailsLas uñas de los taberneros
Full of planets, tobacco, and silverRepletas de planetas, de tabaco y plata
Of the freedom that shatters dreamsDe la libertad que desbarata los sueños
Of those who never sleptDe aquellos que nunca durmieron

So full of tenderness and so many stings, loveTan harto de ternura y de tanta picadura, amor
Anointed, I embraced the roar that enchanted meUngido, me abracé al rugido que me enamoró
Then, I entrusted myself to the mistDespués, me encomendé a la bruma
That populates the last atollQue puebla el último atolón
That becomes a widow and dawns, silent, with our tremorQue enviuda y amanece, muda, con nuestro temblor
The tremor will returnVolverá el temblor

From the retreat, we were not childrenDe la retirada, no fuimos hijos
We were the word and golden intricaciesFuimos la palabra y entresijos dorados
The strong wind and the crampLa levantera y el calambre
We are left with the certainty of knowing ourselves aliveNos queda la certeza de sabernos vivos
Never victors nor vanquished; wateredNunca vencedores ni vencidos; regados
By what remains of the threadPor lo que queda del estambre

What a surfeit of torment, storm inland, love!¡Qué hartura de tormento, tormenta tierra adentro, amor!
The gentle caress of its radiance tires meMe cansa la caricia mansa de su resplandor
That burns that twisted lineQue abrasa aquel renglón torcido
That dressed itself as a loserQue se vistió de perdedor
If it errs, the earth will speak to me, and the tremor will comeSi yerra, me hablará la tierra, y llegará el temblor
The tremor will returnVolverá el temblor