La Pared de Madera

This marks the first sonnet I came across, a format in which Evaristo truly shines, as well as my conscious decision to immediately scrap the rhyming scheme in lieu of getting the words, ideas and feelings as accurate as possible. I simply don’t have enough of a command of either language to make a perfect translation. But then, I never read a poem that made me go, "Wow! This poem goes from A-B-A-B to C-D-B-A, and now my world will never be the same!"
 
This is one of my favorite poems. It transcends its simple story and makes an emotional argument for hope in the face of tremendous adversity, and bears witness to the way a little love can turn any hardship into a sublime joy…

THE WOODEN WALL (1929)

Evaristo Ribera Chevremont
 
 
     The wooden wall speaks to me in red voices:
"We were beautiful trees with passionate branches.
Our arms fell from the weight of the leaves
and our fruits were the glory of the landscape.
 
     Sapphire birds and crimson insects
were treading our trunks, trampling our branches;
and, the sweet and intimate warmth of their deep affection,
flowed through us a gentle blood of flame.
 
     One day, lumbermen, against our defenses,
brandished strong hatches. Hoarse screams were heard;
and the birds and insects flew away. Harsh blows
destroyed the black shield of our trunks.
 
     Now, we are a home, comforting shelter.
The day sings and dreams through our corridors.
and the evening fills us with the tenderness of wheat
with golden breads and honey from the flowers.
 
     If you have love, we have love: red desire
like in those good days when we flourished our branches.
Our hope still wants to feel the green leaves
and you still spread through us a gentle blood of flame."