Translated from the Spanish by Yvette Siegert

Sweet ungracious home, forged
From a single blow and a single block
Of sunflower wax. And this is the home
She wrecks and restores, sometimes saying,
“A hospice is nice, and here you have it!”
And sometimes she breaks into sobs.

 


 

Babel

 

Dulce hogar sin estilo, fabricado
de un solo golpe y de una sola pieza
de cera tornasol. Y en el hogar
ella daña y arregla; a veces dice:
“El hospicio es bonito; aquí no más!”
¡Y otras veces se pone a llorar!

From Los heraldos negros (Editorial Losada, S. A., 1918) by César Vallejo. Translated from the Spanish by Yvette Siegert. This poem is in the public domain.