Schools. While widely known in Mexico as a poet and translator, and with a previous
book to his credit, he is still relatively unknown in the United States. “We’re excited to
help his work gain an audience,” said Busse. And Dethlefsen, as senior Cowfeather
author, adds that Villavicencio Barras makes poems “skillfully built of forceful words
and raw beauty.” The poems in Luz de Todos los Tiempos/Light of All Times, which
appear in Spanish and English together on the page, alternate between Madison and
Mexico, between family and the natural world, between grief and celebration. “It’s
appropriate that we’re announcing this collection just as we begin to celebrate Dia de los
Muertos, the Day of the Dead,” adds Busse. “Villavicencio Barras memorializes his
family, with tenderness and joy, but he does not flinch from honesty in these poems.” Luz
de Todos los Tiempos/Light of All Times will come out early summer 2013.
NIEVA
TAMBIÉN CENIZA
Nieva
también ceniza
desde
las manos
de
los que se cansaron
de
esperarnos.
Como
mi casa antigua
nieva
cuando recuerda.
Nieva
desde tus ojos sangre y piedras.
Nieva
dolores la tarde.
Nieva
con ganas de decir basta
a
las cosas de los hombres.
Nieva
en el cuarto de las manecillas
en
las aulas oscuras
en
los pasillos
donde
se prohibe la vida.
Desde
el punto
más
alto y profundo
de
la materia sola, nieva.
Nieva
con los puños,
cabeza
y codos.
A
todos nos cae
esta
mezcla de ceniza
con
la violencia y la ternura
de
la nieve real y húmeda.
IT
ALSO SNOWS ASHES
It
is snowing ashes
from
the hands
of
those who got tired
of
waiting.
Like
my ancient house
it
is snowing memories.
From
your eyes
it
is snowing blood and stones.
The
evening snows pain.
It
is snowing with the desire
to
say ‘no more’ to man’s things.
It
is snowing in the clock room.
It
is snowing in dark classrooms,
in
hallways
where
life is prohibited.
From
the highest and deepest
point
of lonely matter it is snowing ,
like
when we fight
with
our heads, fist and elbows.
Everybody
is covered
with
this wet and real blend
of
violence and tenderness.
