Like You by Roque Dalton

[Steel City Slim]

This is one of my favorite poems. It is written by Roque Dalton. An interesting side note: Roque's father, Emmit, was one of the wild west outlaw Dalton Brothers. Emmit emigrated to El Salvador after his release from prison in the early 1900s which is where Roque was born and lived.

Like You by Roque Dalton. Translated by Jack Hirschman

Like you I
love love, life, the sweet smell
of things, the sky blue
landscape of January days.

And my blood boils up
and I laugh through eyes
that have known the buds of tears.

I believe the world is beautiful
and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.

And that my veins don't end in me
but in the unanimous blood
of those who struggle for life,
love,
little things,
landscape and bread,
the poetry of everyone.

[Droopy]

1. Yet another poem that gives me chills

I can understand why that is one of your favorites. I love these two lines:

"I believe the world is beautiful
and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone."

The idea that poetry is for everyone and that anybody can sit down and write a poem is a part of what this group should be about.

[KaliTracy]

2. oh, I agree!

:)

[JitterbugPerfume]

3. I will look for this Author

at the book store

thanks for bringing him into my life

[Steel City Slim]

4. FYI

I found that poem in the book "Poetry Like Bread" published by Curbstone Press. There is also his poetry in "Twentieth-Century Latin American Poetry" published by University of Texas Press. I am sure there are others as well.

[JitterbugPerfume]

5. thank you

nt