Ode to the Lizard
Pablo Neruda (translated by Margaret Peden)
On the sand
a
lizard
with a sandy tail.
Beneath
a leaf,
a leaflike
head.
From what planet,
from what
cold green ember
did you fall?
From the moon?
From frozen space?
Or from
the emerald
did your color
climb the vine?
On a rotting
tree trunk
you are
a living
shoot,
arrow
of its foliage.
On a stone
you are a stone
with two small, ancient
eyes -
eyes of the stone.
By the
water
you are
silent, slippery
slime.
To
a fly
you are the dart
of an annihilating dragon.
Here's today's Poetry Friday roundup.
6 comments:
"cold green ember" Neruda makes language swoon.
I just had to keep repeating "silent, slithery slime" - wonderful!
I'm glad you enjoyed the book, and I'm glad I was able to think to send it to you.
That is fabulous! I'll go read your review of the book now.
I loved the lizards in Haiti! Once in a while one would startle me in the shower, but I had to forgive them because the rest of the time I enjoyed them so much. And I love the ubiquitous metal ones, too, and brought many home for gifts at the end of the summer. Thank you for sharing the poem and photo.
it waz coll
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