This week’s poem is going to be a little different than the others. Manuel Iris, the official Poet Laureate of Cincinnati, will be a featured speaker at UC Blue Ash’s Poetry Cafe this March. In preparation for that, we are featuring one of his poems from his latest book ” Traducir el silencio / Translating Silence.” The poem we are showcasing is titled “I Am From Here.”
Manuel Iris writes his poems in Spanish first, and then translates them to English later. His book presents his poetry in both languages, so that is exactly what we are going to do here.
.
English
I Am From Here by Manuel Iris
One is from the places
that he has arrived,
.
from the language
in which he can’t dream
and one day it happens
and he wakes up wondering
which one is now his house
when there is always a heart
elsewhere.
.
One comes from the streets
that never are the same when he returns.
.
One comes from the moment
in which he decided to leave
and from the other one
in which he realizes
that everything departs.
.
That it is impossible to stay, even if you stay.
.
That it is impossible, even if you come back, to be back.
.
I write a verse
that is like a farewell
and I point at it:
.
I am from here.
.
.
Spanish
Soy De Aquí
Uno es de los sitios
a los que ha llegado,
.
del idioma
en el que no puede sonar
y un día sucede
y se despierta preguntándose
cuál es su casa ahora,
cuando siempre hay corazón
en otra parte.
.
Uno proviene de las calles
que ya nunca sin las mismas al volver.
.
Proviene del momento
en el que decidió partir
y de ese otro en el que entiende
que todo se aleja.
.
Que es imposible quedarse, aunque te quedes.
.
Que es imposible, aunque regreses, regresar.
.
Escribo un verso
que es como una despedida
y lo señalo:
.
soy de aquí.
The Author
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3In addition to being Cincinnati’s current Poet Laureate, Manuel Iris is an English teacher at DePaul Cristo Rey High School. At that same high school, he also serves as a coach for their Slam Poetry Team, and a coordinator for both the Poetry Club and Hispanic Outreach. He has a PhD in Romance Languages from the University of Cincinnati, a Masters Degree in Latin American Literature from the Autonomous University of the Yucatan, and a Masters Degree in Spanish from New Mexico State University.
If you want to see all of the Featured Literature publications, click here. Are you interested in writing your own creative literature or seeing the written works of others? The UCBA Creative Writing Club welcomes any and all UC Blue Ash students who are interested in pursuing artistic writing in many genres. Meetings are held every Tuesday in Muntz 322 from 4-5 pm and are open to all students.
