Mabel Osborne

Vico del Gargano. Fotografia: Empar Sáez

Mabel Osborne 


Les teves flors roges entre les fulles verdes 
s’estan pansint, gerani bonic! 
Però no reclames aigua. 
No pots parlar! No cal que parlis-
Tothom sap que t’estàs morint de set, 
però ningú no et rega! 
Passen pel teu costat, diuen: 
“El gerani vol aigua.” 
I jo, que tenia felicitat per compartir
i desitjava compartir la teva felicitat; 
jo que t’estimava, Spoon River, 
i implorava el teu amor 
em vaig musteir davant els teus ull, Spoon River– 
assedegada, assedegada, 
muda la meva ànima pudorosa per reclamar-te amor, 
a tu que veies i sabies que em moria davant teu, 
com aquest gerani que algú m’ha plantat a sobre, 
i deixa que es mori. 


Edgar Lee Masters, Antologia de Spoon River 
Traducció: Jaume Bosquet i Miquel Àngel Llauger 


Mabel Osborne

Your red blossoms amid green leaves
Are drooping, beautiful geranium!
But you do not ask for water.
You cannot speak! You do not need to speak—
Everyone knows that you are dying of thirst,
Yet they do not bring water!
They pass on, saying:
“The geranium wants water.”
And I, who had happiness to share
And longed to share your happiness;
I who loved you, Spoon River,
And craved your love,
Withered before your eyes, Spoon River—
Thirsting, thirsting,
Voiceless from chasteness of soul to ask you for love,
You who knew and saw me perish before you,
Like this geranium which someone has planted over me,
And left to die.
Edgar Lee Masters, Spoon River Anthology