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Poem: Roque Dalton’s “Like You” (Como Tú)

Posted by Mike E on October 3, 2008

 

Roque Dalton (1935-1975)

Roque Dalton (1935-1975)

From the revolutionary Salvadoran poet Roque Dalton, written 1975.

 

Like You

By Roque Dalton
(Translated by Jack Hirschman)

Like you I
love love, life, the sweet smell
of things, the sky-
blue landscape of January days.

And my blood boils up
and I laugh through eyes
that have known the buds of tears.
I believe the world is beautiful
and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.

And that my veins don’t end in me
but in the unanimous blood
of those who struggle for life,
love,
little things,
landscape and bread,
the poetry of everyone.

in the original Spanish

Como Tú 

Por Roque Dalton

Yo como tú
amo el amor,
la vida,
el dulce encanto de las cosas
el paisaje celeste de los días de enero.

También mi sangre bulle
y río por los ojos
que han conocido el brote de las lágrimas.
Creo que el mundo es bello,
que la poesía es como el pan,
de todos.

Y que mis venas no terminan en mí,
sino en la sangre unánime
de los que luchan por la vida,
el amor,
las cosas,
el paisaje y el pan,
la poesía de todos.

10 Responses to “Poem: Roque Dalton’s “Like You” (Como Tú)”

  1. Maz said

    Wow. “My veins don’t end in me.” How about that for the masthead?

  2. Linda D. said

    I agree…a beautiful poem. If anyone is interested in reading about Roque Dalton Garcia, there’s info. on Wikipedia. What a life!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roque_Dalton

  3. mario matta said

    GRACIAS POR UTILIZAR LA IMAGEN DE ESTE MURAL SOY EL ARTISTA QUE LO ELABORO…GRACIAS ME LLENO DE ORGULLO ENCONTRARMELO EN SU WEBSITE

  4. Linda D. said

    Querido Mario,

    Y muchas felicidades de tu obra. ¡Es bastante interesante y poderosa!

  5. ceasar k. avelar said

    this poem is a perfect example of what education,art,and a true revolutioanry voice can positivley influence society.

  6. Rey said

    Hola Mario, si hasta yo me sentí orgulloso de la imagen, yo tenia todas las materias en la aula 7, el mural esta practicamente en la entrada, y vi como lo pintaste.

  7. Raul Lizardo Preza said

    The more I read about R. Dalton’s poetry
    The more I understand life and the simple things we take for granted.
    His literature is something most of us have in mind but could never express.

  8. Oscar said

    I am intrigued and proud to have a connection with Roque Dalton, for I was borned at the time in which the civil war started in 1980. I lived through out the 12 years of bloodshed and lost many members of my family including my grand father General Carmelo Bonilla whom was stationed in the city of San Miguel. Despite of my setbacks in this life during the time of agony in El Salvador, I have yet to live in an environment similar to Roque Dalton, I feel proud and respect the passion and love that you had for a war zone of a country to which we have in our hearts where ever our destinity take us. Thank you Mario for your hard work, I commend you for helping me understand and awake a passion to learn more about Dalton.

  9. Juan Valdez said

    “Partido, amplias caderas que nadie olvida y son la musa que me lleva al borde mismo del mar, estruendos en el circulo infinito que hace tu vientre mientras se funde embravecido con el mío….partidito, lindo, que aun quiero, aunque en el fondo diga sos revisionista…” (“Yo, Roque Dalton”, 2012) Poets are born every day, some never die….

  10. nelson said

    me gusta escribir y encontre este poema, trato de encontrar los libros de roque pero los encuentro muy caros por el internet. los busque en el salvador el año pasado pero no encontre ni uno, bien raro. Si alguien sabe alguna pagina segura donde pueda encontrar sus libros y poder comprarlos, me gustaria que me mandaran las direcciones para poder leer mas.
    La obra esta bien bonita Mario… aver si tenes una pagina para ver mas de tus pinturas mandamelas. Abrazo a todos y saludos de un Pipil Guanaco perdido en Suecia :)

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