.
House where the poet César Vallejo was born, Santiago de Chuco, Perú: photo by Carlos Adampol Galindo, 19 January 2008
In the cell, in the solid, even the corners
huddle up. I set to rights The stripped men, who crumple,
submit, become rags. I climb from the horse
panting and snorting lines
of blows and horizons; one
lathery foot against three hooves.
And I help him: Come on, you creature! Less. One would take
always less of what it befell me to divide
in the cell, in the liquid. My prison companion
was eating wheat from the slopes
with my own spoon,
when, at my parents' table, a child
I fell asleep chewing. I prompt him: go on
back round the other corner:
go quickly... go round... go soon! Heedlessly, I
find him his reasons, plan:
there's room for a bit of a bed in here
merciful, rickety. No doubt of it
that doctor was a sound man. I'll laugh no more
when my mother prays
in childhood and on Sunday
and at four
of an early morning
for wayfarers, for prisoners,
sick
and poor. In the sheepfold of boys, no more I'll
deal blows at any
who afterwards would cry
still bleeding: Another Saturday
I'll give you my cold meat
only don't beat me.
All I'll say to him now is: O.K. In the cell, in the gas unlimited
till it grows round in condensation,
who stumbles outside?
César Vallejo (1892-1938): Poema LVIII, from Trilce (1922), translated by Charles Tomlinson and Henry Gifford in Poetry, January 1967
Panoramic view of the archaeological site of Huaca del Sol (Temple of the Sun), Mochica political capital, south of Trujillo city, Perú: photo by Martin St-Amant, 27 August 2007
Charged with intellectual instigation of a partisan skirmish in his hometown, Santiago de Chuco, Vallejo was imprisoned for 112 days (8 November 1920-26 February 1921) in the northern Peruvian city of Trujillo, where he had attended university
En la celda, en lo sólido, también
se acurrucan los rincones.
Arreglo los desnudos que se ajan,
se doblan, se harapan.
Apéome del caballo jadeante, bufando
líneas de bofetadas y de horizontes;
espumoso pie contra tres cascos.
Y le ayudo: Anda, animal!
Se tomaría menos, siempre menos, de lo
que me tocase erogar,
en la celda, en lo líquido.
El compañero de prisión comía el trigo
de las lomas, con mi propia cuchara,
cuando, a la mesa de mis padres, niño,
me quedaba dormido masticando.
Le soplo al otro:
Vuelve, sal por la otra esquina;
apura ...aprisa,... apronta!
E inadvertido aduzco, planeo,
cabe camastro desvencijado, piadoso:
No creas. Aquel médico era un hombre sano.
Ya no reiré cuando mi madre rece
en infancia y en domingo, a las cuatro
de la madrugada, por los caminantes,
encarcelados,
enfermos
y pobres.
En el redil de niños, ya no le asestaré
puñetazos a ninguno de ellos, quien, después,
todavía sangrando, lloraría: El otro sábado
te daré de mi fiambre, pero
no me pegues!
Ya no le diré que bueno.
En la celda, en el gas ilimitado
hasta redondearse en la condensación,
¿quién tropieza por afuera?
Santiago de Chuco, Perú: photo by Carlos Adampol Galindo, 19 January 2008
Mochica god "Ai apaec" or "Degollador", tile in a wall of the Mochica sanctuary Huecas del Sol y de la Luna, near Trujillo, Perú: photo by Elmer Castillo Contreras, 30 August 2008
Banknote for 10,000 intis (a currency that existed in Perú between 1986 and 1991): image by Discjockey, 6 April 2010
The poet César Vallejo in Nice: photographer unknown, 1929; image by Stefan4, 1 May 2012
Grave of César Vallejo, Cimetière du Montparnasse, Paris: photo by Blueswan59, 24 October 2012
Plaza de Armas, Santiago de Chuco, Perú: photo by Carlos Adampol Galindo, 19 January 2008