Ercilla Poem by Tom Billsborough
Ercilla
Arauco's stones, the water flowers sailing free,
Vast territories of trampled roots now greet
The man who came from Spain. His armour they invade
With giant lichens, ferns' shadows trample down his sword.
The native ivy place their azure hands
Upon the planet's silence, come so late.
Man. O famed Ercilla, now I hear the pulse of water
Greet your latest dawn, the birds' frenzy,
Thunder in the foliage.. Oh, leave your golden eagle's
Claw mark here, rasp your cheek upon the unkempt maize.
It matters not. The earth devours all.
Oh, famed Ercilla, only you will never drink the cup of blood,
Oh, famed Ercilla, only to the rapid splendour
Born of you will come the secret mouth
Of time in vain. To speak to you... in vain.
In vain, in vain, the blood in crystal-splattered branches,
In vain, within the Puma's night, defiant tread of soldiers,
In vain, the orders, steps of wounded men.
It all comes back to silence, feather-crowned,
In which a king, remote, devours creepers.
This appears to be an exact translation of a poem by Pablo Neruda. Or is it Neruda who translated it into Spanish?
This is a literal translation of a Spanish poem which in my anthology of Spanish verse is attributed to Pablo Neruda. Why is it attributed to Bilsborough?
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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8/2/2025 1:07:18 PM # 1.0.0
It is by no means a literal translation. Take the second line of Pablo's poem " territorios de races.." I used the phrase " vast territories of trampled roots" to expand the implied idea of scale and devastation" . I translated it directly from the Spanish many years ago because I found it such an exhilarating poem. I was not aware that Pablo had made a translation himself.