Tú me quieres alba
por Alfonsina Storní

Tú me quieres alba,
Me quieres de espumas,
Me quieres de nácar.
Que sea azucena
Sobre todas, casta.
De perfume tenue.
Corola cerrada.

Ni una rayo de luna.
Filtrado me haya.
Ni una margarita
Se diga mi hermana.
Tú me quieres nívea,
Tú me quieres blanca,
Tú me quieres alba.

Tú que hubiste todas
Las copas a mano.
De frutos y mieles
Los labios morados,
Tú que en los jardines
Negros del Engaño
Vestido de rojo
Corriste al Estrago.

Tú que el esqueleto
Conservas intacto
No sé todavía
Por cuáles milagros,
Me pretendes blanca
(Dios te lo perdone),
Me pretendes casta
(Dios te lo perdone),
¡Me pretendes alba!

Huye hacia los bosques;
Vete a la montaña;
Límpiate la boca;
Vive en las cabañas,
Toca con las manos
La tierra mojada;
Alimenta el cuerpo
Con raiz amarga;
Bebe de las rocas;
Duerme sobre escarcha;
Renueva tejidos
Con salitre y agua
Habla con los pájaros
Y lévate al alba.
Y cuando las carnes
Te sean tornadas,
Y cuando hayas puesto
En ellas el alma
Que por las alcobas
Se quedó enredada,
Entonces, buen hombre,
Preténdame blanca,
Preténdame nívea,
Preténdame casta.

You want me white
by Alfonsina Storní

You want me white,
You want me like foam.
You want me like pearl
You want that I be a lily.
Above all women, chaste.
Of faint perfume.
A closed blossom.

No moonbeam
Can ever shine upon me.
Nor can a daisy
Call herself my sister.
You want me like a pearl,
You want me pure,
You want me white.

You, who have had all
the goblets in his hand.
You, with fruit, honey,
and wine-stained lips.
You, who walk the black gardens
Of deception and envy
Clothed in red
You ran yourself into ruin.

You, whose skeleton
Has stayed intact
By what miracles
I still do not know,
You fancy me pure
(may God forgive you)
You fancy me chaste
(may God forgive you)
You fancy me white!

Flee to the forests;
Go to the mountains,
Clean out your mouth;
Live in shacks,
Dirty your hands
With wet soil;
Feed yourself
with bitter roots;
Drink from rocks;
Sleep upon the frost;
Rejuvinate yourself
With saltpeter and water
Talk with the birds
And wake with the dawn.
And when your flesh
Has been altered,
And when you have put into it
Your soul
That you left tangled
in so many bedrooms,
Then, my dear man,
Pretend that I am white,
Pretend that I am pure,
Pretend that I am chaste.



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