Camincha/César Vallejo

Children of the world
If Spain falls--I mean, it is only a saying--if it falls
from the sky down, her forearm must be held
in a sling, two terrestrial plates.
Children, at the age of the concave temples!
how early in the sun what I was telling you!
how soon in your chest old age calling!
how very ancient your 2 in the notebook!
Children of the world, it is
the mother Spain carrying her womb on her back
it is our teacher with her rods,
she is mother and teacher,
cross and wood, because it gave you the height,
vertigo and division and addition, children,
they are with her, tempestuous parents!
If Spain falls--I mean, it is only a saying--if it falls
from the earth down,
children, how you are going to stop growing!
how the year is going to punish the month!
how your teeth are going to stay at only ten
the diphthong at only a downstroke, the medal in only tears!
How is the new born lamb going to continue
tied up by the leg to the great inkwell!
How you are going to tumble-down the steps of the alphabet
down to the letter in which sadness was born!
Children, sons / daughters / of the warriors, meantime
lower your voice, Spain at this very moment is spreading
energy between the animal kingdom,
the sweet blossoms, the comets and humankind.
Lower your voice, that she is
with its harshness that is great without knowing
what to do, and it is in her hand
the skull talking and talks and talks,
the skull that one of the braid
the skull that one of the living!
Lower your voice, I tell you,
lower your voice, the song, the crying
of the matter and the minor murmur of the pyramids and even
of the temples that walk with two stones!
Lower your breath, and if
the forearm comes down
if the rods sound, if it is night time,
if the sky fits in two terrestrial limbos
if there is any noise in the sound of the doors
if I'm late,
if you don't see anyone, if they frighten you
the stubby pencils, if mother.
Spain falls--I mean, it is only a saying--if it falls
go out, children of the world, go look for her!...

	César Vallejo translated by Camincha
Spain, take away from me this bitter cup
Children of the world If Spain falls--I mean, it is only a saying--if it falls from the sky down, her forearm must be held in a sling, two terrestrial plates. Children, at the age of the concave temples! how early in the sun what I was telling you! how soon in your chest old age calling! how very ancient your 2 in the notebook! Children of the world, it is the mother Spain carrying her womb on her back it is our teacher with her rods, she is mother and teacher, cross and wood, because it gave you the height, vertigo and division and addition, children, they are with her, tempestuous parents! If Spain falls--I mean, it is only a saying--if it falls from the earth down, children, how you are going to stop growing! how the year is going to punish the month! how your teeth are going to stay at only ten the diphthong at only a downstroke, the medal in only tears! How is the new born lamb going to continue tied up by the leg to the great inkwell! How you are going to tumble-down the steps of the alphabet down to the letter in which sadness was born! Children, sons / daughters / of the warriors, meantime lower your voice, Spain at this very moment is spreading energy between the animal kingdom, the sweet blossoms, the comets and humankind. Lower your voice, that she is with its harshness that is great without knowing what to do, and it is in her hand the skull talking and talks and talks, the skull that one of the braid the skull that one of the living! Lower your voice, I tell you, lower your voice, the song, the crying of the matter and the minor murmur of the pyramids and even of the temples that walk with two stones! Lower your breath, and if the forearm comes down if the rods sound, if it is night time, if the sky fits in two terrestrial limbos if there is any noise in the sound of the doors if I'm late, if you don't see anyone, if they frighten you the stubby pencils, if mother. Spain falls--I mean, it is only a saying--if it falls go out, children of the world, go look for her!... CLICK FOR SPANISH ORIGINAL