John Samuel Tieman: After Jorge Guillén

Love Asleep

You slept and your arms stretched and almost caressed

my insomnia. It was

as if you surrounded me with your dream –

me sleepless and hunted by the merciless moon –

and I dreamt I fell asleep in your arms.

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If you are curious, here’s Guillén’s original poem:

Amor dormido
Dormías, los brazos me tendiste y por sorpresa
rodeaste mi insomnio. ¿Apartabas así
la noche desvelada, bajo la luna presa?
tu soñar me envolvía, soñado me sentí.

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and a ‘literal’ translation:

Love asleep
As you slept, the arms stretched out to me and by surprise

you surrounded my insomnia. Did you remove just like that

the sleepless night, me prey to the moon?

Your dream enveloped me, and I felt that I dreamed.

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Translation and compilation copyright 2020 John Samuel Tieman. Jorge Guillén’s poem is in the public domain.