The Deception of the Thrush

Today (7/12) is the centennial of Pablo Neruda's birth. (If you don't know of Neruda: He was a Chilean poet whose works ranged from romantic to philosophical to Communist.)

So, in honor thereof, I'm including one of his poems, and I will give a shot at translating it, but I might get a few lines jumbled. Feel free to make corrections.

I received a copy of this poem the day after 9/11, when Fabiola, one of my Spanish instructors at the time, handed it out in class.

First Spanish, then English:

CON ELLA

Como es duro este tiempo, espérame
vamos a vivirlo con ganas.
Dame tu pequeñita mano:
vamos a subir y sufrir;
vamos a sentir y saltar.
Somos de nuevo la pareja
que vivió en lugares hirsutos,
en nidos ásperos de roca.

Como es largo este tiempo, espérame
con una cesta, con tu pala,
con tus zapatos y tu ropa.
Ahora nos necesitamos
no sólo para los claveles
no sólo para buscar miel
necesitamos nuestras manos
para lavar y hacer el fuego,
y que se atreva el tiempo duro
a desafiar el infinito
de cuatro manos y cuatro ojos.

WITH HER

As these times are hard, wait for me
we will live them passionately
Give me your tiny hand:
we will climb and suffer;
we will feel and leap.
We are once again the pair
that lived in rough places
in jagged nests of rock.

As these times are long, wait for me
with a basket, with your shovel
with your shoes and your clothes.
Now we need each other
not only for the carnations
not only to search for honey
we need our hands
to clean and to make the fire
and so that the hard times must dare
to challenge an infinity
of four hands and four eyes.