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the emperor can burn down villages, the people are forbidden to light a candle




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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.

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7 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.

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