Year of the Goat 4713

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Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322)

Year of the goat 4713

The goat, wary, horns
lowered, it holds unsullied
his ground, stands fast, knows:
a promise easy to make
often is hard in keeping.

       
-------------------------------------------- © Rafael Jesús González 2015

Año de la cabra 4713
 

La cabra cautelosa, cuernos
agachados mantiene limpio
su suelo, para, sabe:
una promesa fácil de hacer
muchas veces es difícil cumplir. 

            -----------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2015

Emperor Xuanzong (1399-1435), Ming dynasty

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A Valentine: my politics

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---------Preguntan


Se trata de la vida
y de algo muy relacionado

(auque sea que me equivoque)
 
--------— el amor.

(Estima, ternura;
un respeto primordial,
aversión al dolor,
aprecio al placer, a la alegría
---------— la belleza.)

Se trata de la vida
----------------------y del amor.

-----Es esta
-----mi política.





------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2015

-----------You Ask


It is about life
& something very akin to it

(though I may be mistaken)

---------— love.

(Caring, a tenderness;
a primordial respect,
an aversion to pain,
a regard for pleasure, joy
----------— beauty.)

It is about life
------------------& love.

-----These are
-----my politics.






------------© Rafael Jesús González 2015

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Friendship

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Icniuhyotl


Auh tocnihuane,
tla xoconcaquican yn itlatol temictli:
xoxopantla technemitia,
in teocuitlaxilotl, techonitwuitia
tlauhkecholelotl, techoncozctia.
In tikmati ye ontlaneltoca
toyiollo, toknihuan.

------------------------------------Tecayohuatzin, King of Huexotzinco, c. 1490

Amistad

(del náhuatl)


Y ahora amigos, escuchen
el sueño de una palabra:
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 2015

Friendship

(from the Nahuatl)


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



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2015



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Full moon: Moon for Yemayá

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-------Luna para Yemayá

 
Bajo la luna llena
Yemayá en sus enaguas azules
ribeteadas de encajes de espuma
baila al tambor de las olas, 
las trompetas de los tritones
mientras las sirenas le tocan
sus guitarras de coral.
Baila, baila Yemayá. 

--------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2015

                

 

--------Moon for Yemayá


Under the full moon
Yemayá in her blue skirts
edged with laces of foam
dances to the drum of the waves,
the trumpets of the mermen
while the mermaids play her
their coral guitars.
Dance, dance Yemayá.




---------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2015

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Fightn' Words reading Tuesday, Feb. 10

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GROUND-BREAKING ANTHOLOGY
BLENDS SOCIAL ACTIVISM AND LITERATURE

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PEN Oakland invites the public to a free reading from their ground-breaking anthology Fightin’ Words: 
25 Years of Provocative Poetry and Prose  
from “The Blue-Collar” PEN

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

 Berkeley City College Auditorium

2050 Center Street

Berkeley, California


Award-winning authors Lucille Lang Day, Jack and Adelle Foley, Rafael Jesús González, Kirk Lumpkin, Mary Mackey, devorah major, Kim McMillon, Claire Ortalda, 
Tony Rodríguez, Floyd Salas, 
& Richard Silberg will read.  
Sharon Coleman will emcee this event. 
This is an opportunity to meet many of the diverse cultural voices that are highlighted in this groundbreaking new work edited by Judith Cody, Kim McMillon & Claire Ortalda.  

 For more information, please call (510) 681-5652.




Advance Praise for Fightin’ Words:

“A tide of swelling voices that dare to speak up against the con-fines of official narratives and connect 
with the growing silenced masses.” 
— Genny Lim, author of Paper Gods and Rebels
 
“Literary artists who otherwise would be below 
the radar of exposure have PEN Oakland 
to thank for relentless cultural activism 
on our behalf.”  
— Eugene B. Redmond, founding editor, Drumvoices Revue
 
“Lyrical insight and the arc of human thought 
for a new and possible world 
create this amazing anthology.”  
— Nina Serrano, host of KPFA’s Open Book: Poet to Poet
 
 

Publication Date:        October 6, 2014
ISBN:                          978-0-615-96797-4 
Paperback:                   6x9, 200 Pages 
Price:                           $18.00 
Distributors:                Ingram and Baker & Taylor or direct from 
Publishers :                

PEN Oakland Publications & Heyday Books 

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