2013-09-17 Poem to F.
And recount the times it hasn’t happened
About how close you were left
How far you could have been
How wrong you always were
there are things that do not change
Reality dwells behind your gaze
But memories play hide and seek
When you count to one hundred
The game is over
We all run for the afternoon snack
Winning doesn’t matter anymore
It is not for the time, nor for the hunger
Mom rules
You obey
They taught you how to behave
Take the crumbs off your shirt
Aren’t you old enough for nonsense
They remind you every birthday
With amazement
Until it’s rude
Only the poor eat bread in that way
With pleasure
Every bite is new
is life
Now you travel by train
Sometimes first class
Until the ticket collector arrives
Looking like Swedish is valid in Haiti11
Where smiles are the (only) most precious asset
In India they ride on the roof of the wagon
Mom rules
You obey
You smile
You always learn something new
Where is the school
When you look out the window at the PE class
Life is going on as normally as ever
Carlos,
When you email me at three in the afternoon, something will go wrong. “Reality dwells behind your gaze.”
Write every day, whenever you can. “And recount the times it hasn’t happened.”
I go to sleep. Sweet Europe. You must update me on your course. When are you starting, at least. Until the ticket collector arrives. And you get the best grades.
Health.
Y cuenta las veces que no ha ocurrido
De lo cerca que te quedaste
Lo lejos que pudiste estar
Lo equivocado que siempre estuviste
Hay cosas que no cambian
La realidad habita tras tu mirada
Pero los recuerdos juegan al escondite
Cuando cuentas hasta cien
El juego se ha acabado
Todos corremos a por la merienda
Ya no importa ganar
No es ni por la hora, ni por el hambre
Mamá manda
Tú obedece
Te enseñaron a comportarte
Quítate las migas de la camisa
No eres ya mayorcito para tonterías
Te lo recuerdan cada cumpleaños
Con asombro
Hasta que es descortés
Solo los pobres comen pan de esa manera
Con placer
Cada bocado es nuevo
es vida
Ahora viajas en tren
A veces en primera clase
Hasta que llega el revisor
Hacerse el sueco es válido en Haití
Donde las sonrisas son el (único) bien más preciado
En India viajan en el techo del vagón
Mamá manda
Tú obedece
Sonríes
Siempre aprendes algo nuevo
Donde queda el colegio
Cuando miras por la ventana la clase de educación física
Life is going on as normally as ever
In Spanish Hacerse el sueco means To play dumb↩