Lope de Vega

La primera vez que vio la mar

¡Válate Dios, el charco, el que provocas
con verte a helar el alma de las venas,
Adán de tirubones y ballenas,
almejas viles y estupendas focas!

Cerúleo sorbedor por tantas bocas
de más naves que vio tu centro arenas;
teatro en quien oyó trágicas scenas,
sentada la Fortuna entre estas rocas.

Tú, que enseñaste al Draque, a Magallanes
lo más estrecho de tu campo oblico,
a pesar de sirenas y caimanes,

en España nací con solo el pico,
cansado estoy de trajinar desvanes,
dime, ¿por dónde van a Puerto Rico?



The first time he saw the sea

God help you, puddle, you who do provoke
the soul that sees you to freeze in its veins,
Adam of the sharks and of the whales,
of vile clams and stupendous seals' domain!

Cerulean drinker through as many mouths
of more ships than your depths ever saw sands;
theater in whom the most tragical scenes,
Fortune hears as on these rocks she stands.

You, who taught Drake and Magellan too
the hardships of your fields of turbulence,
in spite of sirens and of caymans' jaws;

in Spain with just my hunger was I born,
I'm tired of wandering from here to there,
so, where's the boat for Puerto Rico's shores? 

                     (©Alix Ingber, 1995)



 E-mail your comments and questions to:

Alix Ingber
Professor of Spanish
Sweet Briar College

ingber@sbc.edu



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