tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51144762024-03-07T00:15:05.541-08:00LETRAS DE CACTUSJuan José Martínez, poeta y traductor, vive en las Playas con sus hijos; en una esquina de Latinoamérica.
E-mail soldecactus@yahoo.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1765125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-35042420433483617202014-04-29T00:38:00.003-07:002014-04-29T00:38:45.316-07:00TIEMPO RETRAÍDO<br />
<br />
<br />
Camino por el malecón olvidado<br />
Y los seres a mi alrededor<br />
Sujetan botellas de agua<br />
En sus manos.<br />
<br />
Tienen huecos en sus almas<br />
Igual que yo.<br />
<br />
Sólo que yo me conformo<br />
Con el agua que está<br />
En la olas de mar;<br />
Me gusta más verla que beberla.<br />
<br />
Los caminantes de la mañana<br />
Me rebasan por las aceras,<br />
Unos corren,<br />
Otros caminan,<br />
Todos me pasan.<br />
<br />
Unos llevan perros<br />
Con cadenas o sin ataduras,<br />
Otros sólo pueden jalar las correas de sus vidas.<br />
<br />
Camino y doy vueltas<br />
Como un avión que hace trucos en el cielo.<br />
<br />
Al mismo tiempo que veo los rostros de policías asustados<br />
Observando autobuses nuevos que se detienen<br />
A un lado de sus prisioneros.<br />
<br />
Y quiero observar toda la escena<br />
Pero también necesito observar la carretera<br />
Porque para entonces estoy detrás del volante<br />
Llegando al último lugar de este momento.<br />
<br />
Y antes de continuar me doy cuenta que:<br />
Poder escribir un poema <br />
Es poder hacer todas las cosas<br />
Que alguien pueda saber en el mundo entero.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-78562270348067555492010-09-03T00:52:00.000-07:002010-09-03T00:59:01.218-07:00More poems @ juaniswriting.blogpsot.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-27186319956666553742010-06-30T13:51:00.001-07:002010-06-30T13:51:35.932-07:00ANOTHER DREAM 2<br />
<br />
<br />
I heard voices outside<br />
And notice the ocean<br />
Is on my front porch<br />
<br />
People that I don’t know<br />
Walk around my home<br />
And I think<br />
Maybe they believe<br />
The ocean belongs to everyone<br />
<br />
I rise up from bed<br />
And feel like telling them:<br />
<br />
“Go away”<br />
“Leave me alone”<br />
“Let me sleep”<br />
<br />
But these guys were acting strange<br />
And they did not look friendly<br />
They were so confused<br />
They were clearly very dangerous<br />
<br />
I knew they were from another time<br />
When they asked me<br />
About my departed relatives<br />
<br />
It was then I noticed<br />
They were also very dead<br />
<br />
I talked to them<br />
And I remembered<br />
Somewhere somehow<br />
It is not good to talk to <br />
The deceased<br />
<br />
They told me they had<br />
Something for me<br />
Wrapped in newspaper<br />
I told them they were making<br />
A big mistakeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-89081092370746630302010-06-29T15:30:00.001-07:002010-06-29T15:30:44.271-07:00ANOTHER DREAM<br />
<br />
<br />
First it was the darkness<br />
Of your room<br />
The sun of midday<br />
Was trying to find cracks<br />
Scanning and searching<br />
The curtains<br />
The walls<br />
The ceiling<br />
Any orifice where<br />
A sliver of light<br />
Could enter<br />
<br />
Then you were<br />
On top<br />
Because you<br />
Were slender<br />
And then I was<br />
On your body<br />
Examining and entering<br />
Your skin<br />
<br />
It was the most sensible thing to do<br />
It made sense to you<br />
And it was alright with me<br />
<br />
When the door was opened<br />
We know it was time to go<br />
Everybody towards their<br />
Respective children<br />
<br />
When the door was opened<br />
There was sunlight everywhere<br />
And that room<br />
Was like any other room<br />
In the world<br />
<br />
You walked towards your obligations<br />
Nonchalantly walked away<br />
As if you had just drank<br />
A glass of water<br />
So I opened my eyes<br />
And considered my next dream<br />
As I started my dayUnknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-63350078397671697472010-06-28T14:29:00.000-07:002010-06-28T14:29:35.412-07:00between earth & water<br />
<br />
<br />
the caveman<br />
with the white mercedes<br />
inspects the scene<br />
<br />
he has cellphone<br />
pressed against<br />
his hear<br />
<br />
he looks ridiculous<br />
it is an effect<br />
of defeat<br />
<br />
he bends down<br />
and touches the ground<br />
his car beside him<br />
with the door opened<br />
immobilized on the road<br />
<br />
i look<br />
at the tv screen<br />
and then i look<br />
back at him<br />
and he's goneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-49583373068740902642010-06-27T11:48:00.000-07:002010-06-27T11:48:02.300-07:00look above<br />
<br />
<br />
the image of swine<br />
and their owners<br />
upset for an economic lost<br />
it is a dilemma<br />
for what is important<br />
<br />
those animals<br />
them people<br />
<br />
delivarance is the only solution<br />
the message is broken<br />
and it is working well<br />
for all sides involved<br />
<br />
i understand your profit<br />
your captivity<br />
i understand freedomUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-38538403304868442632010-06-26T18:03:00.000-07:002010-06-26T18:03:33.302-07:00bird in the ocean sun<br />
<br />
<br />
not only the images<br />
of the world<br />
make of human eyes<br />
springs of salty water<br />
<br />
words in the midst<br />
of traffic<br />
can touch the most<br />
untouchable of hearts<br />
<br />
igniting respect<br />
for new formations<br />
in the sky<br />
<br />
truly memorizing<br />
your skin<br />
with every touchUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-29373885810811742032010-06-26T00:10:00.000-07:002010-06-26T00:10:19.855-07:00better<br />
<br />
<br />
it was better<br />
to sleep some more<br />
than to rise up<br />
like some kind<br />
of silly revolution<br />
<br />
it was better<br />
to dream<br />
about making love<br />
than to put<br />
my shoes on<br />
and try to look serious<br />
<br />
it was better<br />
to turn towards the other side<br />
and try to find out<br />
if i could understand you<br />
upside down<br />
<br />
<br />
<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Dragon-Tattoo-ebook/dp/B0015DROBO?ie=UTF8&tag=letrasde2010p-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0015DROBO&tag=letrasde2010p-20" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=letrasde2010p-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0015DROBO" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-90025411308569977692010-06-24T21:56:00.000-07:002010-06-24T21:57:34.755-07:00intelligently<br />
<br />
<br />
you fall intelligently<br />
that's what I like about you<br />
she said<br />
<br />
then i remembered<br />
the last time<br />
i was on the dance floor<br />
<br />
i saw you<br />
looking at me<br />
on the walls<br />
<br />
i thought<br />
i would never<br />
see you again<br />
<br />
a wrong thought<br />
<br />
i also knew<br />
some of the dancers<br />
would never make it<br />
<br />
she continued:<br />
<br />
you are okay<br />
as you are<br />
since i known you<br />
you have not changedUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-61120633287999119362010-06-23T11:28:00.000-07:002010-06-23T11:28:20.485-07:00ocean loop<br />
<br />
<br />
the man in black<br />
has the red & white<br />
water cooler<br />
he walks with it<br />
on the dilapidated sidewalk <br />
<br />
the carné disappeared<br />
and it was replaced<br />
in 7 days<br />
<br />
on it<br />
there are many reptiles & birds<br />
vegetation & water<br />
<br />
the lady with purple pans<br />
throws the coffee cup<br />
in the garbage canUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-84569227066395521602010-06-22T08:26:00.000-07:002010-06-22T08:37:15.946-07:00nada<br />
<br />
la nada<br />
hace daño<br />
hiere y lastima<br />
<br />
tiene ponzoña<br />
veneno de sobra<br />
<br />
vuela entre engaños<br />
tiene alas que se desintegran<br />
<br />
aterriza en espejismos<br />
como de mosca<br />
de alas locas<br />
de vida corta<br />
<br />
ser sucio<br />
contaminación en marcha<br />
la nada siempre culpableUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-60088721430039955172010-06-21T12:50:00.000-07:002010-06-21T12:50:56.592-07:00MAGAZINE<br />
<br />
<br />
At the post office<br />
There’s an image<br />
On the counter<br />
<br />
One invitation<br />
To a dance<br />
I inhale deeply<br />
Then I exhale<br />
<br />
This is what exercise is for<br />
I don’t have the desire for it<br />
But I know the steps<br />
<br />
Somebody told me<br />
That nowadays<br />
People are 10 years younger<br />
I hope they are rightUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-56600505661692412362010-06-20T19:39:00.001-07:002010-06-20T19:39:54.734-07:00PANCAKES<br />
<br />
<br />
This morning<br />
Seemed perfect<br />
To make pancakes<br />
<br />
I mixed the batter<br />
By hand<br />
First with a spoon<br />
Then with a fork<br />
<br />
I lit the burner<br />
And used a little oil<br />
On the pan<br />
<br />
Added more water<br />
To the mix<br />
And worked it<br />
Some more<br />
<br />
I poured it<br />
On the hot surface<br />
The heat<br />
Made it looked<br />
Like the moonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-33215405651011373482010-06-19T11:44:00.001-07:002010-06-19T11:44:34.996-07:00TOP OF THE MORNING<br />
<br />
<br />
Gun fire in the morning<br />
In between dreams<br />
Between the opening of the eye<br />
<br />
Music at daybreak<br />
Giving instructions<br />
With its rhythms<br />
With the mixing of words<br />
One above the other<br />
<br />
The smaller the profile<br />
The better<br />
So I sleep some more<br />
Dreaming with the prone position<br />
<br />
Outside<br />
The girl that washed<br />
Her hands<br />
Is crying<br />
<br />
There’s shouting<br />
Bilingual cursing<br />
Open wounds<br />
<br />
Pained for those seized<br />
The triumphant walk euphorically<br />
Stepping on as much ground<br />
As they can<br />
<br />
Women wailed<br />
For those on the back<br />
Of the pick up truckUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-41928704021216137632010-06-17T11:37:00.000-07:002010-06-17T11:37:30.681-07:00SEMINAR<br />
<br />
<br />
There was a meeting<br />
At the pharmacy<br />
And she had to leave<br />
<br />
It is odd<br />
She arrived<br />
With such a <br />
Happy face<br />
<br />
And was gone<br />
As fast<br />
As she arrived<br />
<br />
I walked<br />
Towards the restroom<br />
And found school boys<br />
Hiding from school girls<br />
<br />
The girls wanted in<br />
The boys wanted them out<br />
I told them to cut it out<br />
And walk back to the seminar<br />
<br />
I listened to the speaker<br />
And she said:<br />
<br />
Tell the children<br />
Not to eat the world<br />
All at once<br />
<br />
Tell them to<br />
Eat it<br />
Little by little<br />
Making sure<br />
The world doesn’t<br />
Eat them<br />
<br />
There is a reason<br />
Why they are<br />
In this world<br />
They have a missionUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-432302896403713602010-06-16T11:26:00.001-07:002010-06-16T11:26:18.058-07:00BOARDWALK<br />
<br />
<br />
Men & women<br />
Walk with sticks<br />
In their hands<br />
Dogs beside them<br />
<br />
The ocean plays its music<br />
White foam on the shore<br />
Long faces in the sand<br />
<br />
From tennis shoes<br />
To huarache sandals<br />
A grey summer<br />
<br />
The vivid colors<br />
Are only in the imagination<br />
The lifeguard comes and goes<br />
Running with blue hooded sweatshirt<br />
Drinking coffee to keep going<br />
<br />
Workers replace the old lamp poles<br />
They carry them away with solemnity<br />
The boys and I inspect<br />
The brand new onesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-20124919159344337012010-06-15T23:07:00.001-07:002010-06-15T23:07:39.049-07:00AIRPORTS<br />
<br />
<br />
They were at the airport<br />
On the ticket counter<br />
He really looked like me<br />
And she was wearing a dress<br />
<br />
They were on this side<br />
You were on the other side<br />
Across the barrier<br />
And soon to be<br />
Across the ocean<br />
<br />
I was breathing<br />
European humidity<br />
My pores still had<br />
Your taste<br />
My mind was swollen<br />
With you image<br />
<br />
But even ideas<br />
Are charted with borders<br />
The sky<br />
The air<br />
Everything is divided<br />
Even the spirits have<br />
Their claims on the clouds<br />
<br />
In New York City<br />
I walked through a maze<br />
Looking for the exit<br />
Trying to catch my next flight<br />
Till I arrived at the X-ray machines<br />
<br />
The agent told me to<br />
To take off my boots and my belt<br />
I did so<br />
And then I heard<br />
The voice of a woman<br />
<br />
“Pretty soon we are going to get naked”<br />
<br />
I look towards my left<br />
And it was the woman with the dress<br />
Her companion<br />
The guy with my face<br />
Was no were to be found<br />
<br />
“I don’t think so”<br />
I said<br />
And she just smiled<br />
<br />
I walked away<br />
Looking for a place to rest<br />
I sat next to large windows<br />
I could see airplanes outside<br />
A lady sat next to me<br />
Opened a medicalUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-30492514058803136262010-06-14T22:50:00.000-07:002010-06-14T22:50:03.418-07:00towards dinner<br />
<br />
<br />
this morning<br />
i saw a police woman<br />
she was tall<br />
and had revolver<br />
and a shotgun<br />
with her<br />
<br />
i was looking<br />
at a man<br />
walking towards me<br />
but she was looking me<br />
in the eye<br />
when she said<br />
buen día<br />
and i said<br />
good morning to her<br />
<br />
this afternoon<br />
as i walked on gravel<br />
i saw the neighbor's hen<br />
struggling to swallow a snake<br />
<br />
both were small<br />
both were fighting<br />
but the hen was sipping<br />
the snake like spaghetti<br />
<br />
the snake was wagging its tale<br />
till it disappeared<br />
and i told the children<br />
the snake was still dancing<br />
inside the hens stomach<br />
<br />
this evening<br />
when it was our turn<br />
to eat dinner<br />
we had an earthquake<br />
as we ate tortillas & soupUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-72686002328361533222010-06-13T20:12:00.000-07:002010-06-13T20:12:33.549-07:00SAINT<br />
<br />
<br />
Saint Ignatius<br />
Was eaten by lions<br />
I paid close attention<br />
<br />
One cat is biting his leg<br />
The other one<br />
Has its mouth<br />
On the saint’s shoulder<br />
<br />
I am told<br />
He will be able to help<br />
A martyr always knows<br />
The meaning of suffering<br />
<br />
The blond woman with blues eyes<br />
Hands me her camera and says<br />
Take a pictureUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-60238123519836628812010-06-13T07:35:00.000-07:002010-06-13T07:35:17.933-07:00WAKE UP <br />
<br />
<br />
The woman<br />
Orders the girl<br />
To help her<br />
<br />
They pick up garbage<br />
And use blankets<br />
As waste bags<br />
<br />
Early in the morning<br />
I heard music across the canyon<br />
And when I opened my door<br />
<br />
There it was<br />
A rabbit dancing<br />
On my front yard<br />
I went back to bed<br />
And slept some moreUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-80985189683051270232010-06-12T06:36:00.000-07:002010-06-12T06:36:38.925-07:00EYES ON THE ROAD<br />
<br />
<br />
The young man<br />
Is gathering lumber<br />
Placing it<br />
On a corner<br />
He looks tired and concerned<br />
<br />
The grey car drives away<br />
The driver looks pretty & confused<br />
But pretty non the less<br />
<br />
She drives<br />
Then she comes back<br />
Then she drives away again<br />
<br />
Tires turning slowly<br />
Hands on the wheel<br />
Negotiating hazardsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-53234971464179681772010-06-11T08:37:00.000-07:002010-06-11T08:41:50.820-07:00collisions<br />
<br />
<br />
moving bodies<br />
make contact<br />
all the time<br />
<br />
it happens<br />
in the heavens<br />
<br />
it happens<br />
on earth<br />
<br />
large asteroids <br />
have hit the moon<br />
<br />
when traveling<br />
through space<br />
it is better<br />
to add another sorceress<br />
<br />
to the one<br />
already hanging<br />
from the rear-view mirror<br />
of your spaceshipUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-50680860870295416442010-06-10T22:40:00.000-07:002010-06-10T22:40:26.883-07:00scenario<br />
<br />
<br />
in the dark<br />
the girl glows<br />
with the light<br />
of a cellphone<br />
<br />
during the day<br />
she walks<br />
with words of fire<br />
on her hands<br />
<br />
she enters an old house<br />
<br />
loud voices<br />
come out of there like<br />
flying crows<br />
<br />
when she walks out<br />
she looks at me<br />
and then washes her hands<br />
with soap & waterUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-31260006530675986632010-06-10T08:32:00.000-07:002010-06-10T08:32:37.580-07:00meeting<br />
<br />
<br />
the good lady says<br />
you don't waste your time<br />
you work on your computer<br />
<br />
and i searched<br />
for a gentle smile<br />
<br />
even though my thoughts<br />
are elsewhere<br />
on the beach<br />
this morning<br />
like yesterday morning<br />
<br />
same girl running<br />
fit & trim<br />
jogging through the mist<br />
running amongst a storm of rocksUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114476.post-69444426904694190582010-06-09T09:21:00.000-07:002010-06-09T09:21:52.566-07:00messages<br />
<br />
<br />
the messages in my car<br />
are as old as the ocean<br />
as old as the hesitation<br />
in the surf<br />
<br />
this time<br />
they are dirty<br />
like the contamination<br />
of the sea<br />
<br />
In the past<br />
they have been<br />
sparkling clean<br />
like when light hits the water<br />
making it warmUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2