Garcilaso de la Vega

Soneto 36

A la entrada de un valle, en un desierto,
do nadie atravesaba ni se vía,
vi que con estrañeza un can hacía
estremos de dolor con desconcierto;

ahora suelta el llanto al cielo abierto,
ora va rastreando po la vía;
camina, vuelve, para, y todavía
quedaba desmayado como muerto.

Y fue que se apartó de su presencia
su amo, y no le hallaba, y esto siente;
mirad hasta dó llega el mal de ausencia.

Movióme a compasión ver su acidente;
déjele lastimado: Ten paciencia,
que yo alcanzo razón, y estoy ausente.



Sonnet XXXVI

Within a valley's entrance, in a desert,
Where none pass through nor leave this barren setting,
I saw, though strange it seemed, a dog was fretting;
In pain he cried, in agony bewildered,

To open skies he hurls his dirge untethered,
And now along the path he tracks, retreading;
He ambles on, he turns, he stops, and yet he
Retains the ashen pallor of cadavers.

And this because his master left his presence;
He cannot find his master, this he senses;
Behold how far the reach of painful absence.

To see his hardship moved me to compassion;
In pity I exhorted him: Have patience,
For I can fathom reason and am absent. 

                     (©Tyler Fisher, 2003)



 E-mail your comments and questions to:

Alix Ingber
Professor of Spanish
Sweet Briar College

ingber@sbc.edu



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