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Yesterday, the 17th of May, one of the greatest poets of Latin America passed away. Mario Benedetti (September 14 1920 – May 17 2009) was an Uruguayan poet, journalist and novelist. He lived in exile during the military dictatorship in Uruguay from 1973 to 1985. He wrote for his country, for love and for revolution. He was a proclaimed leftist who actively struggled against the military dictatorship and firmly defended and supported the Cuban Revolution. Mario Benedetto, indeed a great loss for Latin America, and for all those who aspire and fight for freedom and justice everywhere. Mario Benedetti joined his comarade Pablo Neruda, and the ranks of all the great poets who recently left us such as the great Palestinian Poet Mahmoud Darwich.
Like all who spoke, wrote and worked for freedom, and social justice, the words of Benedetti will not be forgot and will be constantly repeated by all who still believe in equality, revolution in the brotherhood of Man.
I post here one of his most famous poems, Te quiero (I love you) and i have also translated in english...
Te Quiero
sus manos son mi caricia
mis acordes cotidianos
te quiero porque tus manos
trabajan por la justicia
si te quiero es porque sos
mi amor mi cómplice y todo
y en la calle codo a codo
somos mucho más que dos
tus ojos son mi conjuro
contra la mala jornada
te quiero por tu mirada
que mira y siembra futuro
tu boca que es tuya y mía
tu boca no se equivoca
te quiero porque tu boca
sabe gritar rebeldía
si te quiero es porque sos
mi amor mi cómplice y todo
y en la calle codo a codo
somos mucho más que dos
y por tu rostro sincero
y tu paso vagabundo
y tu llanto por el mundo
porque sos pueblo te quiero
y porque amor no es aureola
ni cándida moraleja
y porque somos pareja
que sabe que no está sola
te quiero en mi paraíso
es decir que en mi país
la gente viva feliz
aunque no tenga permiso
si te quiero es porque sos
mi amor mi cómplice y todo
y en la calle codo a codo
somos mucho más que dos.
that's a beautiful poem ya nabil I wish I could read it in the spanish!
ReplyDeleteyes it is...
ReplyDeleteunfortunatly he wasn't very known in the english speaking world..
It is brilliant how he mixes his thirst for freedom and struggle with his loved one..i could see mahmoud darwich writng something like it and marcel khalife singing the poem :)
Thak you for the english translation, and let me just add that Benedetti was deeply engaged in creating a language for free love between man and woman, a little bit like Nizar Qabbani.
ReplyDeleteSlam, ia comrade.
De nada companero!
ReplyDeleteespero que la traducion estaba bien..
you are right i read "la olvida esta lleno de memoria" i loved it it goes for the lebanese and arab societies where many have disappeared and imprisionned by warlords and dictators..
Hasta Pronto