Yolanda U. Trapp
Selection of Poetry translated by myself into English.
Gabriela Mistral (Chile)
Canción de las mazorcasn (15)
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Las mazorcas de maíz
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a ni–itos se parecen;
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cuatro meses en los tallos,
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bien prendidas que se mecen.
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Tienen un vellito de oro,
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como de recién nacido,
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y unas hojas duras, duras,
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que sus tallos han vestido.
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Y debajo de la vaina,
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como ni–os escondidos,
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con sus dos mil dientes de oro,
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ríen, ríen, sin sentido…
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Las mazorcas de maíz
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a ni–itos se parecen;
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en las celdas maternales,
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bien prendidas que se mecen.
The song of the corn ears
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The corn ears
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resemble children;
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four months on the sprout
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grasped, they rock.
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They have a golden fleece
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like a new born baby
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and strong, hard leaves
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the sprouts have dressed
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And under the scabbard
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like hidden children,
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with their two thousand golden teeth
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they laugh, laugh, without meaning…
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The corn ears
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look like children;
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in their motherly cells,
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grasped, they rock.@Text:Alfonsina Storni Argentina 1892-1938
Yo en el fondo del mar. (16)
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En el fondo del mar,
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hay una casa
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de cristal.
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A una avenida
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de madréporas
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da.
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Un gran pez de oro,
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a las cinco,
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me viene a saludar.
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Me trae
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un rojo ramo
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de flores de coral
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Duermo en una cama
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un poco más azul
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que el mar.
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Un pulpo
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me hace gui–os
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a traves del cristal
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En el bosque verde
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que me circunda,
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din don … din dan –
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se balancean y cautan
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las sirenas
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de nácer verdemar.
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Y sobre mi cabeza,
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arden en el crepúsculo,
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las erizadas puntas del mar.
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I in the Deep Sea
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In the deep sea
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there is
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a crystal house.
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To a coral
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avenue
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it goes.
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A huge golden fish
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at five o’clock
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comes to say hello!
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It brings me
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a red bouquet
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of coral flowers.
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I sleep in a bed
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a little bit more blue
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than the ocean.
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An octopus
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winks at me
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through the crystal.
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In the green wood
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that surrounds me
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“Don – Din, - Don – Din”
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dance and sing
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the sirens
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of blue-green nacar.
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And over my head
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burning in the sunset,
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the prickly bristles of the ocean.
Alfonsina Storni (Argentina) 1892 – 1938
Iremos a la monta–a (17)
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A la monta–a,
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Nos vamos ya,
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A la monta–a,
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Para jugar.
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°Qué lindo el aire!
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°Qué lindo el sol!
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°Azul el cielo,
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°se siente a Dios!
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A la monta–a,
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Formemos ronda
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Ronda de ni–os,
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Ronda redonda.
We are going to the mountain
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To the mountain
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we are going now,
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to the mountain,
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to play
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What beautiful air!
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What beautiful sun!
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Blue is the sky,
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we can sense God!
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To the mountain,
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Let’s make a circle,
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circle of children,
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round round circle.
Delmira Agustini Uruguay (1886 – 1913)
La Sed (18)
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Tengo sed, sed ardiente! – dije a la maga, y ella
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Me ofreció de sus néctares. – Eso no, me empalaga! –
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Luego, una rara fruta, con sus dedos de maga,
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Exprimió en una copa clara como una estrella;
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Y un brillo de rubíes hubo en la copa bella.
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Yo probé. – Es dulce, dulce. Hay días que me halaga
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Tanta miel, pero hoy me repugna, me estraga! –
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Vi pasar por los ojos del hada una centella.
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Y por un verde valle perfumado y brillante,
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Llevóme hasta una clara corriente de diamante.
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- Bebe! – dijo. Yo ardía, mi pecho era una fragua.
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Bebí, bebí, bebí la linfa cristalina…
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°Oh frescura! °Oh pureza! °Oh sensación divina!
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- Gracias, maga, y bendita la limpidez del agua!
The Thirst
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I am thirsty, ardently thirsty – I said to the wizard, and she
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Offered me her nectar. – No; not that, it becomes distasteful to me! –
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Then, a rare fruit, with her magical fingers,
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She squeezed in a crystal glass like a star;
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And a splendor of rubies filled the crystal glass,
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I tasted. – It’s sweet, sweet. Somedays I like
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Honey so much, but today it repulses me! –
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I saw a sparkle in the wizard eyes.
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And through a green valley glittery and fragrant,
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She took me to a clear diamond course of water.
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- Drink! – she said. I was burning, my chest was a forge.
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I drunk, drunk, drunk, the clear lymph…
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Oh freshness, oh purity, oh divine sensation!
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- Thank you, wizard, and bless the clearness of the water!
Juana de Ibarbourou Uruguay (1895-1979)
A la Rueda Rueda (19)
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A la rueda rueda
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que cayó del cielo
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al agua del río
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un lindo lucero.
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A la rueda rueda
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que la princesita
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para sus cabellos
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quiere la estrellita.
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A la rueda rueda
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que se enoja el rey
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y ordena a los pajes
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que no se la den.
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A la rueda rueda
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que llega el galán
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y a la princesita
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se la ofrecerá
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A la rueda rueda
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que se casarán
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y el rey y la reina
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a la boda irán.
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Wheel Wheel
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Wheel wheel
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from the sky fell down
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in the river’s water
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a beautiful star.
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Wheel wheel
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the little princess wants
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for her long hair
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the tiny star
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Wheel wheel
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the king gets mad
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and ordered the pages
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not to please her
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Wheel, wheel
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the lover arrives
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and to the little princess
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he will offer the star
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Wheel wheel
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they are getting married
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and the king and queen
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to the wedding are going.
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Juana de Ibarbourou Uruguay
La Loba, La Loba (20)
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La loba, la loba
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le compró al lobito
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un calzón de seda
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y un gorro bonito.
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la loba, la loba
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se fue de paseo
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con su traje rico
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y su hijo feo.
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La loba, La loba
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vendrá por aquí,
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si esta ni–a mía
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no quiere dormir.
Mother Wolf, mother wolf
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Mother Wolf, mother wolf
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bought for her little wolf
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a silky underwear
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and a nice cap
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Mother Wolf, mother wolf
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went for a walk
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with her rich clothes
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and her ugly child.
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Mother Wolf, mother wolf
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will be around
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if this little girl of mine
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does not fall asleep.
@Text:Violeta Parra Chile
Volver a los diecisiete (21)
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Volver a los diecisiete,
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después de vivir un siglo,
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es como descifrar signos,
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sin ser sabio competente,
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volver a ser de repente
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tan frágil como un segundo,
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volver a sentir profundo,
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como un ni–o frente a Dios,
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eso es lo que siento yo
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en este instante fecundo.
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se va enredando enredando
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como en el muro la hiedra
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y va brotando, brotando
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como el musguito en la piedra,
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como el musguito en la piedra
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ay sí, sí, sí.
Back to seventeen
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Back to seventeen
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after living a hundred years
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seems like deciphering signs
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without being a wisely competent one,
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to be again and suddenly
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so fragile as a second
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to feel profoundly again
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like a child facing God
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that’s the way I feel
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in this fruitful moment.
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It’s going to entangle, entangle
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like the ivy on the wall
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and it’s going to sprout, sprout,
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like the moss on the stone
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like the moss on the stone
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oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!
María Elena Walsh Argentina
Canción del Pescador (22)
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Pez de platino,
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fino, fino,
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ven a dormir en mi gorro marino
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Perla del dia,
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fría, fría
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ven a caer en mi bota vacía.
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Feo cangrejo,
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viejo, viejo,
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ven a mirarte el perfil en mi espejo
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Flaca sirena,
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buena, buena,
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ven a encantar mi palacio de arena.
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Se–ora foca,
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loca, loca,
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ven a tocar el tambor en la roca.
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Picara ola,
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sola, sola,
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ven a jugar con tu traje de cola.
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Un delfín
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que toque el violín,
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voy a pescar en mi red marinera,
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y me espera para bailar,
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loca de risa la espuma del mar.
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Song of the Fisherman
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Silver fish,
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fine, fine,
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come to sleep in my navy bonnet.
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Pearl of the day,
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cold, cold,
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come and fell in my empty boot.
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Ugly crab
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old, old,
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come and look your profile in my mirror.
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Thinny siren
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fair, fair,
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come to enchant my sand castle
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Lady sea calf,
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crazy, crazy,
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come to play the drum on the rock.
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Malicious wave
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alone, alone,
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come and play with your party gown.
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A dolphin
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who plays the violin,
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I will catch in my navy net,
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and waiting to dance with me
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laughing madly the sparkling sea.
@1H:Presenting Poetry
My professor and Seminar Leader asked me to write about how would I present poetry to the children. In other words, how would I teach poems. Poetry is meant to be read aloud - and there are many ways I could choose to reach the subject. Here are some tips for performing the poems I selected for the unit.
First I would read the poem to myself a time or two before reading it to the group, and plan oral reading techniques that would reinforce the meaning and beauty of the poem. When reading I would be expressive, but wouldn't exaggerate unnecessarily. I also would let the meaning guide my pauses. It is not necessary to stop at the end of each line. The meaning would also guide my pacing and rhythm. Some lines are meant to be read quickly, others need to be read slowly; or require their own special pace and beat. Sometimes I will need to whisper or change my voice and take on the role of the characters in the poem. Dramatic interpretation involves children physically and emotionally. I would look for actions than can be easily represented. Gestures reinforce the feelings (23) and finally, "listening activities...are especially effective with shy children because they allow silent participation". (Presenting Poetry by Alma Flor Ada, Dias y Dias De Poesía, Anthology. Hampton-Brown Books for bilingual education. Copyright 1991 Carmel, California. USA.
