THE BLIGHT

An old Corvette, a jeep with torn seats
and a van without windows
sit in their respective places,
the yard, the driveway and the street.

They cower, embarrassed targets of disdain
sneered at by neighbors with Jaguars,
who cannot torch the house because it is
filled with ammunition.

This lodge, part shack, part mechanics workshop,
houses Mister-industrious designer-inventor,
maker of accurate guns, a hunters delight.

His garage gapes open in a scream of tools.
Grease runs down the driveway
covers the yard with a pale film
and inside reeks a potpourri of oil,
metal shavings and mounted deer.

He lives in Texas. He can do what he wants.
To hell with the association.
Conquering rivers and mountains on a three wheeler
he will not be harnessed or behave.

He will go to his grave an outlaw, a marksman,
a man unconcerned with appearances.
But damn it, he lives
next door.


Judith Pordon
C 1999

LA PLAGA

Un viejo corvette, un jeep con asientos desgarrados
y una furgoneta sin ventanas
ocupan sus respectivos lugares
el jardin, la entrada y la calle.

Se acobardan, vergonzoso blanco del desden,
despreciados por vecinos con jaguares,
quienes no pueden incendiar la casa pues esta
llena de municiones.

Este aposento, parte choza, parte taller mecanico,
aloja al senor-industrioso, disenador-inventor,
fabricante de armas precisas, deleite de cazadores.
Su cochera bosteza abierta en un grito de llaves y tuercas.

La grasa corre por toda la entrada
cubre el jardin con una fina capa
y dentro apesta a un potpurri de aceites
rebabas de metal y venados disecados.

El vive en Tejas. El puede hacer lo que quiera
al demonio con la asociacion.
Conquistando rios y montanas en una motocicleta
el no va a ser arreado a comportarse bien.

El ira a la tumba un bandolero, un tirador,
un hombre despreocupado por las apariencias.
Pero, carajo, el vive
a lado.

Translated by A. Duncan Williams

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