Author Topic: A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges  (Read 15234 times)

Offline opinionista

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A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges
« on: August 05, 2006, 01:18:49 pm »
Hye friends,

I'm sorry if this is corny. But I ran into this poem written by Jorge Luis Borges today by a chance, and since we spend a great deal of time in this forum talking about BBM, love and relationships, I thought I post it for your enjoyment. I'm enclosing the original one in Spanish because I know there are people here, besides me, who read Spanish, and also the English translation, which is not mine. Hope you enjoy it. I think it is a beautiful poem.


You Learn

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul.

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open

And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn...
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth...
And you learn and learn...
With every good-bye you learn.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Uno aprende

Después de un tiempo, uno aprende la sutil diferencia
entre sostener una mano y encadenar un alma;
Y uno aprende que el amor no significa acostarse
y que la compañía no significa seguridad;
Y uno empieza a aprender que los besos no son contratos
y los regalos no son promesas;
Y uno empieza a aceptar sus derrotas con la cabeza alta y los ojos abiertos;
Y uno aprende a construir todos sus caminos en el hoy,
porque el terreno de mañana es demasiado incierto para planes
y los futuros tienen una forma de caerse en la mitad.
Y después de un tiempo uno aprende que si es demasiado
hasta el calorcito del sol quema.
Así que uno planta su propio jardín y decora su propia alma,
en lugar de esperar a que alguien le traiga flores.
Y uno aprende que realmente uno puede aguantar,
que uno realmente es fuerte,
que uno realmente vale,
y uno aprende y aprende…
y con cada día uno aprende.

JORGE LUIS BORGES
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. -Mark Twain.

Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2006, 01:38:01 pm »
Thanks Nat - I really liked that! I suppose that the original spanish poem (which I don't undestand) is even better.
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Offline pastorfred

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Re: A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2006, 04:02:57 pm »

Thanks, Natali!

That really is a beautiful and most appropriate poem. In many cases the translation of a poem is just as beautiful, and in this case the translated poem is still very good.

I have to say, however, that the original Spanish poem is quite different and much better.
Peace be with y'all,
Fred

Offline opinionista

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Re: A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2006, 07:19:55 pm »
Thanks, Natali!

That really is a beautiful and most appropriate poem. In many cases the translation of a poem is just as beautiful, and in this case the translated poem is still very good.

I have to say, however, that the original Spanish poem is quite different and much better.


I'm glad you both liked it. I think it's a beautiful poem.

Fred, you're right, the Enlgish version of the poem is a bit different. For example, the line "Y uno aprende que el amor no significa acostarse" was translated as "And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning", but I think that's not the correct translation. "Acostarse" also means "to have sex", and that's what Borges means in this poem. That love doesn't always mean to have sex.
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. -Mark Twain.

moremojo

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Re: A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2006, 07:52:08 pm »
Thank you for sharing this with us. I have long been a fan of Borges's short fiction, but don't believe I had ever encountered any of his poetry. I remember a striking quote I came across from Borges many years ago, where he stated (and I must paraphrase here) that love entered his life when he stopped looking for it. That feels very wise and true to me. The poem of his here resonates in a similar way to me.

Regards,
Scott

Offline ekeby

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Re: A poem for all of you by Jorge Luis Borges
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2006, 10:40:02 pm »
thanks for posting . . . Borges one of my faves . . .
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