Ivonne Gordon
Translated by Cindy Rinne
Fuego
La mirada se adentra en el ojo. La lluvia
cae, y cae en la hoja. Soy mirada de lluvia.
El sonido inalcanzable del agua, se adentra
en las pupilas. El fuego de la memoria centella
la piel. Soy agua, soy fuego. Soy piel de centellas.
La lluvia cae. Y cae en las sílabas,
en las interrogaciones, me trago las pausas,
y a veces me arrepiento. Retrocedo a la ventana,
para poder abrir el ojo a la distancia.
Fire
Contemplation delves within the eye. Rain
falls, and cascades upon a leaf. I am the gaze of rain.
The unreachable sound of water delves
within the pupils. The fire of memory sparks
through the skin. I am water, I am fire. I am the skin that radiates.
The rain falls. And it falls on the syllables,
on the interrogation marks, I swallow the pauses,
and sometimes I regret it. I step backwards to the window,
in order to open an eye to distance.
Santuario
En el santurario del cielo, corto
una estrella con los labios
de agua. Despierta cruzo
el anochecer. La parpitación de las tinieblas
escribe el sentido del pecho. El lenguaje
serpentea el sonido de la lámpara despierta.
El lenguaje inventa la memoria.
La noche clarea. Escucho
mi cuerpo. Mi cuerpo me escucha
en el trueno de mi sed,
fértil de estrellas medulares
ancladas en la cisterna de una piedra.
Sanctuary
In the sanctuary of the sky, I slice
a star with lips
of water. Awakening, I travel across
the nightfall. The palpitation of darkness
inscribes meaning across my chest. Language
snakes through the sound of the awakened lamp.
Language invents memory.
The night lightens. I listen
to my body. My body listens to me.
In the thunder of my thirst,
I find the fertile core of stars
anchors in the cistern of a stone.
Venus
El agua y el
río no perdonan.
El río va al mar. Venus sale de una cueva.
Respira saudades de agua y salobre.
El agua suda eternidades exhaustas.
Aguas azules que van y vienen,
vienen y van. Agua clara de profundidades
abandonadas a las fisuras de la lluvia.
Agua bendita. Agua de Venus
inmóvil en el descenso de la espuma.
Agua, retroceso de la tarde.
Venus despierta y con premeditación
se pincha un universo en el pecho.
Venus
The river and the water don’t forgive.
The river goes to the sea. And Venus comes out of a cave.
She breathes saudades of briny water.
Water drips fatigued eternities.
Blue waters come and go,
they go and come. Clear water reflecting
abandoned depths to the cracks of rain.
Blessed water. The water of Venus
holds no motion in the descending foam.
Water recoils in the afternoon.
Venus awakens and with premeditation
she embeds the universe on her chest.
Ivonne Gordon is an Ecuadorian poet with a Ph.D. in Latin American poetry and literary theory from UC, Irvine. She is also an essayist, Professor of Latin American literature, and translator. Has been the recipient of many International and National Poetry Awards, the most recent, Poet in New York named after the Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca by Valparaiso Editions, 2020. She has won poetry awards in Latin America and Europe. She has published ten books of poetry and the most recent ones, Casa de agua/ Water House (Valparaíso USA) forthcoming; Diosas prestadas (Torremozas) 2019; El tórax de tus ojos (Amargord) 2018; Ocurrencias del porvenir (Hespérides) 2018; she has been widely anthologized internationally as well as invited to read at many International poetry festivals. She is an important voice in Latin America’s poetry and her work has been translated to several languages. https://ivonnegordon.com/; ivonnegordon.com/live
Cindy Rinne creates fiber art and writes in San Bernardino, CA. She was Poet in Residence for the Neutra Institute Gallery and Museum, Los Angeles, CA. A Pushcart nominee. Cindy is the author of several books: Knife Me Split Memories (Cholla Needles Press), Letters Under Rock with Bory Thach, (Elyssar Press), and others. Her poetry appeared or is forthcoming in: Anti-Heroin Chic, The Poetry Barn, Verse-Virtual, LitGleam, and several anthologies, and others. www.fiberverse.com.
Malasaña | Hudson, NY| Cargo Collective | Portland, ME | 2021