| TU RISA | YOUR LAUGH |
| Pablo Neruda | trans. Brian Cole |
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| Quítame el pan, si quieres, | Take away my bread, if you will, |
| quítame el aire, | take away the air, but |
| pero no me quites tu risa. | do not take away your laugh. |
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| No me quites la rosa, | Do not take away the rose, |
| la lanza que desgranas, | the spear which you unsheathe, |
| el agua que de pronto | the water that all at once |
| estalla en tu alegría, | bursts up in your joy, |
| la repentina ola | the sudden wave of plants |
| de planta que te nace. | that springs up at your feet. |
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| Mi lucha es dura y vuelvo | My struggle is hard and sometimes |
| con los ojos cansados | I come home tired-eyed |
| a veces de haber visto | from having gazed all day |
| la tierra que no cambia, | at the unchanging earth, |
| pero al entrar tu risa sube | but as soon as I come in, your laugh |
| al cielo buscándome | rises to heaven, seeking me out, |
| y abre para mí todas | and opens up for me |
| las puertas de la vida. | all the doors of life. |
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| Amor mío, en la hora | My love, even in the hour |
| más oscura desgrana | of deepest darkness unsheathe |
| tu risa, y si de pronto | your laugh, and if suddenly |
| ves que mi sangre mancha | you see my blood staining |
| las piedras de la calle, | the stones in the street, |
| ríe, porque tu risa | then laugh, because your laugh |
| será para mis manos | will be for my hands |
| como una espada fresca. | like a fresh gleaming sword. |
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| Junto al mar en otoño, | By the sea in autumn |
| tu risa debe alzar | your laugh should spout up |
| su cascada de espuma, | its shower of foam, |
| y en primavera, amor, | and in spring, my love, |
| quiero tu risa como | I need your laugh |
| la flor que yo esperaba, | like the long-awaited flower, |
| la flor azul, la rosa | the blue flower, the rose |
| de mi patria sonora. | of my melodious homeland. |
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| Ríete de la noche, | Laugh at the night, |
| del día, de la luna, | at the day, at the moon, |
| ríete de las calles | laugh at the crookedness |
| torcidas de la isla, | of streets on our island, |
| ríete de este torpe | at this awkward |
| muchacho que te quiere, | boy who loves you, |
| pero cuando yo abro | but when I open |
| los ojos y los cierro, | my eyes and close them, |
| cuando mis pasos van, | when my footsteps pace on, |
| cuando vuelven mis pasos, | and when my footsteps return, |
| niégame el pan, el aire, | deny me bread, and air, |
| la luz, la primavera, | deny me light, and spring, |
| pero tu risa nunca | but never your laugh, |
| porque me moriría. | for I should surely die. |
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