Poems by Julio Maruri
Translated from the Spanish by Seth Laninga
Sofia Noël Sings at the Royal Palace of La Magdalena
Tonight stars will fall
between Laredo and Holland,
and through the windows
I hope to see them fall.
I am seeing them fall
-and submerge and snuff themselves out-
fall from the night to the sea
between Laredo and Holland.
Little candles of Israël
in this infinite calm
of night and sea
between Laredo and Holland.
Sofia Noël Canta en el Palacio Real de la Magdalena
Esta noche caen estrellas
Entre Laredo y Holanda,
que las veo yo caer
a través de las ventanas.
Las estoy viendo caer
-y se anegan y se apagan-
caer de la noche al mar
entre Laredo y Holanda.
Candelicas de Israël
en esta infinita calma
de la noche y de la mar
entre Laredo y Holanda.
A Very Hot May
The waiters hope for a storm,
the old folks have no thirst
and the cloud passes slowly,
for the first time,
for the last time, the cloud;
first and last time.
Mayo Con Mucho Calor
Los mozos piden tormenta,
los viejos no tienen sed
y la nube pasa lenta-
mente, por primera vez,
por última vez la nube;
primera y última vez.
Choruses and Dances
Heavens! And it’s raining,
and the olives are turning green.
And snowing,
and the countryside is gaining color.
And upon leaving,
the little birds of the avian.
And my suit,
so well-fitting and flashy!
Coros y Danzas
¡Cielos!, y está lloviendo,
y están las olivas verdeciendo.
Y nevando,
y está el campo coloreando.
Y al salir
las avecicas del pajaril
¡y mi vestido
tan cabal y lucido!
Julio Maruri was born in Santander, Spain in 1920. In 1957 he won Spain’s National Literature Prize for Obra Poética (Poetic Work). He was also an accomplished painter, and his work was widely displayed in Spain as well as France, where he spent many years teaching the craft to youth with special needs, before returning to Spain to spend his final years in his native Santander.
Seth Laninga is originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and translates poetry and fiction from the Spanish. He currently lives in Austin, Texas and works in the field of public health.