I Invent You
I invent you in the garden
I invent that you talk to me
that you call me
and in fact you do talk to me
and sometimes I don't understand
what you say
and I am amazed at you
at your mystery
and I pretend that I understand
so that you won't go away.
Day after day I invent you
and that's my way
of confronting your absence
because if I don't invent you
the joy of my hours
would vanish
and you as well.
by Claribel Alegría
from Sorrow
translation Carolyn Forché
Curbstone Press, 1999
Original Spanish after the jump
Te Invento
Te invento en el jardin
invento que me hablas
que me llamas
y en realidad me hablas
y a veces no comprendo
lo que dices
y me asombro de ti
de tu misterio
y finjo que comprendo
para que no te alejes.
Día a día te invento
y esa es mi manera
de enfrentarme a tu ausencia
porque de no inventarte
se esfumaria de gozo
de mis horas
y tú te esfumarias.