I AM HERE - II

As a young, idealistic man
I taught an undocumented
dock-worker to read his
own language, and a Venezuelan
family to speak English.
I shared my language with
wonderful Catalán teenagers.

But I am not here
to teach, though it may happen,
but rather to learn,
to absorb this culture,
keeping the good and
rejecting the harmful,
as I did in the "old
country." I am here
to live, to share,
and to flourish.

29 Nov. 2016

I AM HERE

I am here, and I don't think
of being anywhere else.
I've long forgotten the feel of foreign
coins, and customs that were always
foreign to me are more so now.

When I walk my dog in the
fresh evening air, I know
the sights and smells as she
does, though not as intensely,
and the trees and dogs greet us both.

If you ask shall I stay or go,
I'll reply as did Georgia O.*,
with peace in her eyes and on her face:
"Is there another place?"

27 Nov. 2016

* The US artist Georgia O'Keefe, when asked
in the desert of New Mexico whether she
ever thought of living somewhere else,
famously replied with the words of the last
line of the poem.

QUATRAINS DE NOSSA SENHORA

XCVII.
Quando el hemisferio norte
se transforma en ataúd,
entón evita-se la morte
shendo pra o sud.

When the Northern Hemisphere
becomes a coffin,
then death is avoided
by going to the south.

26 de novembro 2016

The Iceplant

Two years old.
As I stared,
fascinated, at
the iceplant flowers,
Mom pulled on
the leash of
the harness I wore.
She didn't want
me to be stung by
the bees, who were
also fascinated.

Five years old.
As I played
with iceplant leaves,
crushing them to
extract the juice,
I saw in my mind
the image of an old
man in a skullcap,
strangely dressed,
working with
plant parts.

The iceplant, like
the lantana and
the star pine,
followed me
six thousand miles.
I have some very
old friends here.

11 Nov. 2016

Standing on the dock,
I catch a bow-line
and fasten it
securely.
The ship's an unlikely
one, broad and
high and short.
But I, at least,
have helped
to bring it
into port.

23 November 2016

MISSA PRO NOBIS - IV

Hoc est enim corpus meum,
vehiculum animae meae,
et templum Spiritus Sancti,
quod pro nobis
et pro tota
humanitate
in amore
offertur.

For this is my body,
the vehicle of my soul
and a temple of the
Holy Spirit,
which is offered
in love
for us
and for all
humankind.

Porque éste es mi cuerpo,
el vehículo de mi alma
y un templo del
Espíritu Santo,
que se ofrece
en amor
para nosotras y nosotros
y para toda
la humanidad.

22 Nov. 2016

QUATRAINS DE NOSSA SENHORA

XCVI
Excavá las camadas da pessoa
non é cosa pra todos.
É muito más fácil deishá
que se vea nu en corpo.

Excavating the layers
of the person is not for everyone.
To be seen physically naked
is far easier.

21 novembro 2016

MISSA PRO NOBIS - III

Sancta, Sanctus
Domina et Dominus,
Dea et Deus.
Pleni sunt
caeli et terra
glória vestra.
Hosánna
in excelsis.
Benedictae et
Benedicti
qui veniunt
in nomine
Dominae et
Domini.
Hosánna
in excelsis.

Holy, Holy,
Lady and Lord,
Goddess and God.
Filled are the
heavens and
the earth
with your glory.
Hosanna in
the high places.
Blessed are those
who come
in the name of
the Lady and Lord.
Hosanna in
the high places.

Santa, Santo
la Señora
y el Señor,

Diosa y Dios.
Llenos están
los cielos y
la tierra
de vuestra gloria.
Hosanna en
las alturas.
Benditas,
Benditos
las y los que vienen
en el nombre
de la Señora y
el Señor.
Hosanna en
las alturas.

MISSA PRO NOBIS - II

Oráte sorores et fratres
ut meum ac vestrum
sacrificium
acceptabile fiat
apud Deam
et Deum.

Per omnia saecula
saeculorum.

Amén.

Domina et Dominus
vobíscum.

Et cum spiritu tuo.

Sursum corda.

Habemus ad Dominam
et Dominum.

Gratias agámus.

Dignum et justum est.

Vere dignum et
justum est,
aequum et salutáre
semper et ubique
gratias ágere.

Pray, sisters and brothers,
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable
in the sight of Goddess
and God.

For all the centuries
of centuries.

Amen.

May the Lady and Lord
be with you.

And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.

We have, to the Lady
and Lord.

Let us give thanks.

It is right and just.

It is truly right and just,
always and everywhere,
to give thanks.

Orad, hermanas y hermanos,
a fin de que mi sacrificio
y el vuestro
sea aceptable en
el acatamiento de Diosa
y Dios.

Por todos los siglos
de los siglos.

Así sea.

La Señora y el Señor
sean con vosotros.

Y con tu espíritu.

¡Arriba los corazones!

Ya los tenemos unidos
a la Señora y al Señor.

Demos gracias.

Digno y justo es.

Verdaderamente es digno
y justo, equitativo y
saludable, que demos
gracias en todo tiempo
y lugar.

El océano lava
mi mente
con el fuerte jabón
del presente.

The ocean washes
my mind
with the strong soap
of the present.

MIS VERSOS

Mis versos son frágiles
conchas marinas,
hablando de antigua
y contínua
vida.

SHELLS

My verses are fragile shells,
speaking of ancient
and continuing
life.

MISSA PRO NOBIS - I

Introibo ad altare Deae,
introibo ad altare Dei,
ad Deam qui laetificat,
ad Deum quae laetificat
juventutem meam
et potestatem meam,
Dea Deusque in
nobis omnibus.

I will go in to the altar of the Goddess,
I will go in to the altar of the God,
to the Goddess who gives joy,
to the God who gives joy
to my youth
and to my power,
the Goddess and the God
in all of us.

Entraré al altar de la Diosa,
al altar del Dios,
hasta la Diosa,
hasta el Dios,
que alegra mi juventud
y mi poder,
la Diosa y el Dios
en todas y todos.

13 Nov. 2016

Como el liso toscano de Dante,
este portunhol é una lingua
apta para la poesía.

Like Dante's smooth Tuscan,
this Portunhol is a language
suitable for poetry.

7 de novembro 2016

QUATRAINS DE NOSSA SENHORA

XCV.
El océano é l'orígen
da vida na terra.
É generoso,
y lo estamo matando.

The ocean is the source
of life on Earth.
It is bountiful,
and we are killing it.

7 de novembro 2016

FIGHTING BACK

This is something new,
they tell me, it was not
this way before. Now
the weather is
more aggressive,
and more violent.
Our calm climate
is gone.

Nature
is fighting
back.

***

Esto es algo nuevo,
me dicen, no era
así antes.Ahora
el tiempo es
más agresivo,
y más violento.
nuestro clima apacible
ya se fué.

La naturaleza
contraataca.

November 6 2016