29/12/2018
Ode to a Woman Gardening⠀⠀
⠀⠀
by Pablo Neruda, translated by Jodey Bateman⠀⠀
⠀⠀
Yes, I knew that your hands were⠀⠀
a budding sprout, a lily⠀⠀
of silver:⠀⠀
you had something to do⠀⠀
with the soil,⠀⠀
with the flowering of the earth,⠀⠀
but⠀⠀
when⠀⠀
I saw you digging, digging,⠀⠀
pushing pebbles apart⠀⠀
and guiding roots⠀⠀
I knew at once,⠀⠀
my farming woman,⠀⠀
that⠀⠀
not only⠀⠀
your hands⠀⠀
but your heart⠀⠀
were of earth,⠀⠀
that there⠀⠀
you were⠀⠀
making⠀⠀
your things,⠀⠀
touching⠀⠀
moist⠀⠀
doorways⠀⠀
through which⠀⠀
the⠀⠀
seeds⠀⠀
circulate.⠀⠀
⠀⠀
So in this way⠀⠀
from one plant⠀⠀
to the other⠀⠀
recently⠀⠀
planted one,⠀⠀
with your face⠀⠀
spotted⠀⠀
with a kiss⠀⠀
from the clay,⠀⠀
you went⠀⠀
and came back⠀⠀
flowering,⠀⠀
you went⠀⠀
and from your hand⠀⠀
the stem⠀⠀
of the astromeria⠀⠀
raised its solitary elegance,⠀⠀
the jasmine⠀⠀
adorned⠀⠀
the mist on your brow⠀⠀
with stars of dew and fragrance.⠀⠀
⠀⠀
Everything⠀⠀
grew from you⠀⠀
penetrating⠀⠀
into the earth⠀⠀
and becoming⠀⠀
green light,⠀⠀
foliage and power⠀⠀
you communicated⠀⠀
your seeds to it,⠀⠀
my beloved,⠀⠀
red gardening woman:⠀⠀
your hand⠀⠀
on familiar terms⠀⠀
with the earth⠀⠀
and the bright growing⠀⠀
was instantaneous.⠀⠀
Love, thus also⠀⠀
your hand⠀⠀
of water,⠀⠀
your heart of earth,⠀⠀
gave⠀⠀
fertility⠀⠀
and strength to my songs⠀⠀
you touch⠀⠀
my chest⠀⠀
while I sleep⠀⠀
and trees blossom⠀⠀
from my dreaming.⠀⠀
I wake up, open my eyes,⠀⠀
and you have⠀⠀
inside me⠀⠀
stars in the shadows⠀⠀
which will rise and shine⠀⠀
in my song.⠀⠀
⠀⠀
That's how it is, gardening woman:⠀⠀
our love⠀⠀
is⠀⠀
earthly:⠀⠀
your mouth is a plant of light, a corolla,⠀⠀
my heart works among the roots.⠀⠀
⠀⠀
