Terence Clarke Novelist, journalist, screenwriter, filmmaker

Pablo Neruda's Love Sonnet 100: A Translation

August 16, 2008, 5:28 pm

100
En medio de la tierra apartaré
las esmeraldas para divisarte
y tú estarás copiando las espigas
con una pluma de agua mensajera.

¡Qué mundo! ¡Qué profundo perejil!
Qué nave navegando en la dulzura!
¡Y tú tal vez y yo tal vez topacio!
Ya no habrá división en las campanas.

Ya no habrá sino todo el aire libre,
las manzanas llevadas por el viento,
el suculento libro en la enramada,

y allí donde respiran los claveles
fundaremos un traje que resista
la eternidad de un beso victorioso.

100
In the middle of the earth, I'll separate out
the emeralds to distinguish you,
while you'll be copying the buds
with a pen made of message-bearing water.

What a world! What profound parsley!
What a ship, navigating the sweet!
And you may be topaz! Maybe me!
No, there'll be no more division among the bells,

nothing but open air,
apples carried by the wind,
the succulent book in the bower,

and there where carnations breathe,
we'll make up some sort of garb that resists
the eternity of a victorious kiss.

Translation: Terence Clarke

Belle Yang says:

Congratulations

on the 100th.  I was here when you posted the first one.

Terence Clarke says:

100 Sonnets of Love

Hello Belle:

Yes, at long last (gasp!), it's completed.  Thanks for following along with me on this translation.  It was a flat-out thrill to do it, and I've now become sufficiently knowledgeable of Neruda's life and work to enter into the planning-stages of a novel I'm going to write, with him as the central character. 

Best to you, and thanks for writing.

Terry 

Belle Yang says:

I had a feeling you were

translating and posting, not posting one by one after the entire 100had been completed.  I envy your passion and your deep committment.  It's the only way to translate--to live in the skin of the man or woman.  Congratulations, once again.