Caribbean eclpse

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Eclipse caribe

La luna plena mulata habanera---
perfumada de jaxmín nocturno---
coqueta enrojece y se esconde----
detrás de su abanico de palma.---

En la feria, los libros despiertan;-

sus hojas aletean y sueltan-------
a volar sus versos.----------------

---------© Rafael Jesús González 2008

Caribean Eclipse

The full Havana moon--------
pefumed with night jasmine--
coquettish blushes & hides---
behind her palm fan.---------

In the fair, the books waken;

their leaves flutter & let------
their verses to fly.------------

----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008

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Full moon of the Year of the Rat 4706

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Tanka of the Full Moon of the Year of the Rat


In the star-rich sky,
a lone gray rat of a cloud
grasps at the full moon,
sweet ball of honey and cheese,
for her Lord of Beginnings.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008





Tanka de la luna del año de la rata


En el cielo rico de estrellas
una nube, rata gris solitaria,
trata de coger la luna plena,
dulce globo de queso y de miel,
para su Señor de los Comienzos.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008



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St. Valentine's Day

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----Mirando las fotografías
-----de Sebastião Salgado
-----el día de San Valentín


Se acostumbra en este día
enviar a los amados
la imagen del corazón,
San Sebastián de las cartas,
atravesado por jaras.

En este matrimonio
del sufrimiento y la belleza
----hay injuria.
En el negro y el blanco desolado
----uno ve rojo.
--------No hay palabras,
sólo el hervir de la sangre
y una desesperación profunda
una gran angustia de piedad
y una gran ansia en el corazón
----por justicia.

Tales son estas tarjetas
----de San Valentín
--------a la Tierra.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008



(Círculo de poesía 9; Roberto Bianchi, director;
aBrace editor, Montevideo, Uruguay 2008;
derechos reservados del autor)







----Seeing the Photographs
------of Sebastiáo Salgado
-----on St. Valentine’s Day



It is customary on this day
to send loved ones
the image of the heart,
St. Sebastian of the cards,
transfixed by arrows.

In this marriage
of suffering & beauty
----there is outrage.
In the stark black & white
----one sees red.
--------There are no words,
only the boiling in the blood
& a deep desperation
a great anguish of pity
& a great yearning in the heart
----for justice.

Such are these Valentine cards
--------to the Earth.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008

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Friendship

Amistad

(del náhuatl)


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



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008



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 2008
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Jai Guru Dev

His holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

My guru, my beloved master his holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi died a few days ago on February 5th. Thirty-five years ago I was studying with him in La Antilla, Spain to become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation; it was at that time that I wrote 'Para la iniciación de un maestro/For the Initiation of a Teacher' for a friend studying there with me. Those years, the Vietnam War terminating and hope for peace alive in our hearts, were luminous years for me, lit by the light of a great seer, the being who spoke the most truth with the most lucidity, the most depth and width whom I have ever known. An enlightened being, his light glows in the world yet.

Jai, jai Guru Dev

-----Para la iniciación de un maestro

----------------------(al modo Nahua)


Adórnate el pecho con el caracol marino,
----dueño de las palabras sacras,
----sacerdote de la luna de obsidiana clara.
La estrella vespertina dará luz a tus sueños;
el águila glorificará tu camino.

----Mira, amigo;
--------te doy flores encarnadas
--------como el licor sagrado;
--------canto, como el murmurar del mar.
Labrarás de jade el corazón,
tomarás posesión de la tinta roja, la tinta negra,
enriquecerás a la gente
----se formarán rostros.

Adórnate el pecho con el caracol marino:
----entra al teocalli, casa divina;
----ensaya los cantos; toma asiento;
----toma ablución; toma el manto blanco,
----el maíz, las flores;
----enciende el copal, el fuego;
----desparrama agua; ofrece frutos.
Tu amigo te ensarta un collar de flores
---------------------------------de canto —
Alégrate —
---------------sé alabado:
Adórnate el pecho con el caracol marino.



-----------------© Rafael Jesús González 2008


(El Hacedor de Juegos/The Maker of Games; Casa Editorial;
San Francisco 1977-78, derechos reservados del autor.)

His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

------For the Initiation of a Teacher

---------------------(in the Nahua Mode)

Adorn you breast with the sea-snail,
----master of the sacred words,
----priest of the clear obsidian moon.
The evening star will light your dreams;
the eagle will glorify your path.

----Look, friend:
--------I give you red flowers
--------like the sacred liquor,
--------song like the murmur of the sea.
You shall carve your heart of jade,
possess the red ink, the black ink,
scatter precious plumes,
enrich the people —
-----they shall form a face.

Adorn your breast with the sea-snail:
----Enter the divine house;
----practice the songs, be seated,
----take ablution, take the white cloth,
----the corn, the flowers,
----light incense, fire,
----scatter water, offer fruit.

Your friend strings you a collar of flowers
------------------------------------of song —
Be joyful —
--------------be praised:
Adorn your breast with the sea-snail.



--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2008



(Creative Intelligence 4, London, Jan. 1974; p. 4; author’s copyrights.)



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Year of the Rat 4706

--

Tanka of the Year of the Rat


The rat travels with
the good Lord of Beginnings,
remover of blocks.
He will need her to gnaw through
the walls of greed and of fear.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2008



Tanka del año de la rata


La rata acompaña
al Señor de los buenos comienzos,
derribador de obstáculos.
La necesitará para que roe
por los muros de la codicia y el temor.



---------------© Rafael Jesús González 2008


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Mardi Gras

-----Cuentas de carnaval


De las calles
----de Nueva Orleáns
--------en pleno carnaval,
me llamaste;
tu voz un hilo de
----cuentas lustrosas
verdes,
---------doradas,
-------------------púrpuras
me engalanó de encanto
y me hizo bailar el corazón.

Sobre la Bahía de San Francisco
el cielo amanece
----color de cenizas
pero mañana en vez del rosario
diré esas cuentas de carnaval.


------© Rafael Jesús González 2008



-----Carnival Beads


From the streets
----of New Orleans
--------in full Mardi Gras,
you called;
your words, a string
----of lustrous beads,
green,
-------gold,
-------------purple
adorned me with joy
& made my heart dance.

Over San Francisco Bay
the sky dawns
----the color of ashes
but tomorrow instead of the rosary
I will say those carnival beads.


------© Rafael Jesús González 2008