Piscis

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-----------------Piscis

El par de peces nada
entre cristales de amatistas,
entre peñas de heliotropo —
----la luz de Júpiter les llega
----como un reflejo en estaño;
Neptuno perezosamente los vigila.
Si vadeas en las aguas inconstantes,
los verás a tus pies
nadar como imágenes de sueños,
-------pacíficos,
------------------benévolos.



--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2011




----------------Pisces

The pair of fish swim
among amethyst crystals,
among boulders of bloodstone —
---the light of Jupiter comes to them
---like reflections on tin;
---Neptune lazily watches.
If you wade in the inconstant water,
you will see them at your feet
swimming like the images of dreams,
-----peaceful,
----------------kind.



--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2011
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Full moon of the Rabbit year 4709

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Tanka for the Full Moon of the Rabbit year


From his dark warren,
the rabbit, full of wonder,
peers at the full moon.
He would gnaw at it, big turnip,
and nibble at the dense stars



--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2011

Tanka para la luna plena del año del conejo


De su conejera oscura
el conejo maravillado
espía la luna plena.
La roería, gran nabo, y a mordiditas
se comería las densas estrellas.



-------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2011


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Friendship

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xoxopantla technemitia,
in teocuitlaxilotl, techonitwuitia
tlauhkecholelotl, techoncozctia.
In tikmati ye ontlaneltoca
toyiollo, toknihuan.

Amistad

(del náhuatl)


Son una luz
las puntas rubias y tiernas del maíz;
en la primavera despertamos
a la borla dorada de la mazorca
y las pruebas de constancia
en los corazones de amigos
nos engalanan el cuello
con collares de joyas.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2011



Friendship

(from the Nahuatl)


It is a light,
the corn's pale & tender ends;
in spring we wake
to the golden tassel of the maize,
& the proofs of constancy
in the hearts of friends
about our necks
jeweled collars place.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2011



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Feast of St. Valentine

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-------The Distance


The distance between us
is holy ground
to be traversed
feet bare
hands raised
------- in joyous dance
so that once it is
--------------crossed
the tracks of our pilgrimage
shine in the darkness
& light our coming together
in a bright & steady light.



------© Rafael Jesús González, 2011


(RUNES — A Review of Poetry, Connection;
CB Follett & Susan Terris, Editors;
Arctos Press, Sausalito, California; Winter 2007;
author's copyrights.)









---------La Distancia


La distancia entre nos
es suelo sagrado
para atravesarse
con los pies desnudos
elevadas las manos
----------en danza jubilosa
para que una vez
----------cruzado
las huellas de nuestro peregrinaje
brillen en la oscuridad
y alumbren nuestro encuentro
con luz brillante y fija.



------© Rafael Jesús González, 2011


(RUNES — A Review of Poetry, Conección;
CB Follett & Susan Terris, Directoras;
Arctos Press, Sausalito, California; invierno 2007;
derechos reservados del autor.)








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Lunada, Galería de la Raza, February 18, 2011

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LUNADA - Literary Lounge

Spoken Word * Música * Open Mic

Friday, February 18, 2011 | 7:30 pm
Lunada 2011 Spring Season Opener: "Fronteras Reales e Imaginarias/Borders Real & Imaginary" An evening of poetry, music and visual art, guest curated by César Barragán, featured poet Rafael Jesús González, and hosted by Sandra García Rivera.

The waxing Spring Season begins with an evening of poetry, music and visual art, "Fronteras Reales e Imaginarias / Borders Real & Imaginary"/Jeux Sans Frontiers / Juegos sin Fronteras./Games Without Borders" Guest Curated by César Barragán, the featured poet Rafael Jesús González, will be reading from his new book of moon poems La musa lunática / The Lunatic Muse, and visual artists Joaquín Alejandro Newman and Sean Levon Nash will be featured in a live collaboration.

LUNADA is the Bay Area's only full moon bilingual literary ritual & performance gathering. Located in the heart of the Mission District at Galería de la Raza in San Francisco, each Lunada features community poets, local legends, visiting mystics, and other mero meros of the stage. Guest curated by some of the Bay Area's most dynamic word slingers and artists, LUNADAS are community gatherings where stories, food, songs, and spirit are shared.

Open Mic sign-up at 7:15pm at the entrance. Musicians and first timers are always welcome.
Show starts at 7:30pm $5 entrance, or FREE with food dish to share, or with Galería membership.
GALERIA DE LA RAZA
2857 24th St (at Bryant) in The Mission.
San Francisco, CA
www.galeriadelaraza.org
info@galeriadelaraza.org
415-826-8009


ARTIST BIOS

César Barragán (Guest Curator & Co-Host)

"…frequently explores issues of border politics, immigration, and identity in his work as well as in the exhibitions of contemporary art that he has curated…" ~Inside Out, Oakland Museum of California.

Born in Tijuana, México and raised in Alta and Baja California, Cesar received a Bachelor's Degree in Business from the University of San Diego. A self-taught artist working in mixed media, and sometimes curator of incurable art, tonight is his first foray into the realm of logos. He has lived in the Bay Area since 1997 and teaches Spanish at Arise High School, in Oakland.


Rafael Jesús González

"Llora por sus hijos-
la desconsolada madre,
sus hijos arrebatos por la guerra,
por la violencia, por el hambre.
Es sordo el que no la oye,
su corazón tambor mudo y desusado…"-
---~ de "Luna de La Llorona" by R.J.G.

"She cries for her children
the inconsolable mother,
her children carried away by war,
by violence, by hunger.
He is deaf who does not hear her,
his heart a drum dumb & disused..."
---~ from "Moon for La Llorona" by R.J.G.



"La musa lunática / The Lunatic Muse, Rafael Jesús González's long awaited collection of moon poems, fulfills its promise of beauty and poignancy… master of the imagist lyric, the poems are both brilliant and immediate. And, we find in its metaphoric language a deep love of the Earth that can sustain many readings."
---------------Amazon.org


Born in the bicultural/bilingual setting of El Paso, Texas/Juárez, Chihuahua, attended the University of Texas El Paso, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, & the University of Oregon. Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing & Literature, taught at the University of Oregon, Western State College of Colorado, Central Washington State University, the University of Texas El Paso, and Laney College, Oakland where he founded the Mexican and Latin American Studies Dept.

Joaquín Alejandro Newman and Sean Levon Nash have been working together for the past decade, and have worked with a cadre of inspired, talented, and community involved artists, organizers and educators.

"The Forrealism Movement is composed of a group of mixed Indian and Latino artists who create works collectively, drawing from our own traditions and those of our elders who have shared gifts of their wisdom and experience. … As urban Indians working in a city where many cultures come together, the scope of our work spans the Americas…."



Sandra García Rivera is the Host and Series Curator of LUNADA ~ Literary Lounge.
Photos



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year of the rabbit 4709

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Cui Bo (1061)

Tanka for the Year of the Rabbit


The rabbit, the hare,
swift, meek, may not inherit
the Earth but teach us
to confront the arrogant
with a firm, fierce compassion.



--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2011

Tanka para el año del conejo


El conejo, la liebre
veloz, manso, tal vez no herede
la Tierra pero nos enseñe
a enfrentar a los arrogantes
con firme, feroz compasión.



-------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2011


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Meiji Period (1868-1912)

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