Translation: The Valley

I do not know how,

I do not know when,

But I have entered a valley of shadows.

All is black, everything is amorphous and diffuse,

I have entered a dark and stony valley.

 

There is no moon, there are no stars,

nor is there scent of trees or flowers.

 

I am alone and yet, at the same time, not alone.

Everyone shouts from their corners,

or whispers into my hearing.

I receive varied and precise invitations and proposals,

However, no-one is anybody,

No-one has a name,

No-one has a face,

No-one has a body

Just plaintive, whining voices that appear 

to be only roaming shadows.

 

I have entered, I am not sure how,

and I do not know when-

the dark valley of my own mind.

Author's Note

This is the first of 3 very special poems. They are not mine- they are translations into English of th epoetry of my friend and fellow Quetzaltenango poet Alejandro Barthet- a Guatemalan poet whose work has never before been featured internationally. Below, you can find his orignal words, in Spanish:

"No sé cómo,
No sé cuándo,
Pero he entrado a un valle de sombras.
Todo es negro, todo es amorfo y difuso,
He entrado a un valle obscuro y pedregoso.

No hay luna, ni estrellas ni hay olor de árboles o flores.

Estoy solo y no lo estoy al mismo tiempo.
Todos gritan desde sus rincones o susurran a mi oído.
Recibo invitaciones y propuestas variadas y precisas,
Sin embargo, nadie es nadie,
Nadie tiene nombre,
nadie tiene rostro,
nadie tiene cuerpo
Solo voces quejumbrosas que parecen solamente sombras vagabundas.

He entrado, no sé cómo ni sé cuándo-
al valle obscuro de mi mente.

Reviews

[Poetic Beauty]

This has a dream like feel. It also reminds me of someone struggling deep within from depression or plain regular sadness. The cause is unknown but the feeling and the visuals are clear. Being trapped in a dark valley with no way out for none have a name to call out to. This poem is truly stunning in a lonely kind of way.

[Raquelita]

Hi, Beauty, thank you very very much for taking the time to read and review this special piece. I shared your comments with my friend, and I have to tell you he was thrilled that someone who does not know him would be interested in his words. As far as I know, this may be the first time a Guatemalan poet has received a review on this site. It really meant a lot to him. As for the insight into the piece being about depression- Allez and I have shared with each other often our mutual stories of our battles with depression. It is an interesting topic to examine from a perspective of cultural differences. I do not know if he wrote this about his own experiences- he is very empathic and could be picking on someone else's- but he does "Get" what depression is and how it affects the mind and heart. Much appreciated that you recognized that.

-R. Marie

[Poetic Beauty]

It was a great poem and wonderfully done with tons of visuals and loaded with emotion. I'm glad he was excited about the review. Tell him to keep writing he has a way with words.

[kia55]

I like it, very visually descriptive of the inner struggles of the mind in an intimate way.

[Raquelita]

Hi, Kia- I shared your review with my friend, and he was thrilled that someone outside of Guatemala would be interested in his words. You folks really made his day today. Thank you so much!

-R. Marie