'Antípodas' by Carmen Hernández Montalbán

Aquí comparto el poema 'Antípodas' que me ha dedicado la poeta Carmen Hernández Montalbán y después está mi traducción al inglés.
This poem 'Antipodes' was dedicated to me by the Spanish poet Carmen Hernández Montalbán, from Guadix, Granada, Spain. I have included the original Spanish poem and my translation follows below.

ANTÍPODAS


Al otro lado del mundo,

Nuestro opuesto es la belleza,

Transfigurada en rareza,

Ignorada en un segundo,

Polos unidos, mitad con mitad,

Opuestos vertebrados que al compás giran,

Día, noche, rostros que nunca se miran,

Arcaicas culturas sofocadas, sin libertad,

Son dos imanes moviendo la esfera,

Ondas magnéticas derribando un muro,

Luces y sombras para pensamiento,

Soles y lunas en compas de espera,

Ecos y voces mirando el futuro,

Notas discordantes a merced del viento.

Carmen Hernández Montalbán

ANTIPODES



At the far side of the world,

New Zealand, our antipodes, so beautiful,

Transfigured in strangeness,

Ignored in a moment,

Poles united, one half with the other,

Opposite vertebrae turn in rhythm,

Day, night, faces that never look on one another,

Each archaic culture suffocated, without freedom,

Sphere propelled by two magnets,

Or a magnetic wave bringing down a wall,

Light and shade for thinking,

Suns and moons in hopeful rhythm,

Echoes and voices looking to the future,

Notes in discord at the wind’s mercy.

Translation by Charles Olsen