Lima, City with the Stretched out Wings [In English and Spanish]

Lima,
City with the Stretched out Wings

It's an ink-black night: no stars: a moon in sight

Just dots of: red, green and white-white lights

As the plane descends, descends, slides down
On the long-drawn-out-spun-out lingering city of lights
Uneven as a crumbled cake, lit up like a Christmas tree-

The sleepless city, with its stretched out wings

Stretching from the mountains to the sea-
Winding through the valley's, forests, and streams
Stretches, stretches its naked wings-endlessly

As,

I'm descending, down, over and around the city
(descending, descending, and sliding to the ground)

The city with stretched out wings-and endless lights
Down, behind, around, the ground, it's immune to me
I'm just part of its evening, a baptism in its inky sea

Invisible people: cats, dogs, birds, and rats-infinite

Uncountable: dots; streams of lit dots, dot-lights;
People: walking, talking, sleeping, eating by the dots
People: waiting, killing, robbing, praying, by the dots

For tomorrow, tomorrow and another tomorrow

They say-:

you are ruthless, and I know this to be true

And they tell me you have thieves and murders-

And this, I dare say-but shall-is also true, very true
But show me a city to the contrary of eight-million-?
I shake my fist and say: '?show me! But no one does'

So alive, so brave, with strong and hungry hearts;

I say, show me one that sings in poverty and smiles
Prove me one that celebrates year-round of its heroes
Show me painters that are as good-that sell on streets-

As good as: Picasso, Dali, Rembrandt, and Yang Yang

And that welcomes the world with stretched out arms-

Show me all this, or some of this, and I will say no more

With this,

I descend to its streets, its crowed winding streets

As well as, to its neighborhoods with dust and soiled air,
And hear the laughs of the children; the dogs on roofs
Sights of the shoe-shiners: men and boys, in the parks

And the numerous food carts; -- musicians, paper sellers

And with its naked featherless wings, covering all

-My Lima, Peru with its renowned Cathedral:

Golden yellow with towering crowns, and

Within its plaza-square, a water fountain-celebrated.

Under its sins, with its wrinkled aged men, lovely women,

They all stand tall and bow to its Inca history, its glory-
Its world that once ruled all, like the Roman Empire,

Like the American Dream, they were the noble, the kings

And now, from drudgery and toil, sweat and strive, all, all Grinding, grinding away, each and everyday, lover of the, King of Kings: Jesus Christ-this is the Lima I know today; a mighty ship that has already sailed the seven seas, now resting!?

Spanish Version

Lima,
La ciudad con las alas extendidas
Translated by Rosa Peñaloza

Esta es una noche oscura: no estrellas, ni luna a la vista

Solo puntos: rojo, verde y blanco?luces blancas

Mientras que el avión desciende, desciende, bajando
A la larga-extendida-plana persistente ciudad de luces
Plana como un panqueque, encendida como un árbol de navidad-

La despierta ciudad, con sus alas extendidas

Extendidas desde las montañas hacia el océano
Zigzagueante a través de los valles, bosques y riachuelos
Estirando, estirando sus alas desnudas-interminables

Mientras,

Voy descendiendo, abajo, por encima y alrededor de la ciudad
(Descendiendo, descendiendo, y deslizándose a la tierra)

La ciudad con las alas extendidas-y luces interminables
Abajo, Abajo, detrás, alrededor, la tierra, es inmune a mí
Sólo soy parte de esta noche, un bautizado en su oscuro océano

Invisible: gente, gatos, perros, pájaros, y ratas, infinidad

Incontables: puntos, riachuelos de luz, puntos de luz;
Gente: caminando, conversando, durmiendo, comiendo bajo los puntos de luz
Gente: esperando, matando, robando, rezando bajo los puntos de luz

Por mañana, mañana y otro mañana

Ellos dicen--:

Tu eres implacable, y yo se que esto es verdad

Y ellos me dicen tú tienes ladrones, y muertes-

Y esto, me atrevo a decir, que esto también es cierto, muy cierto

Pero muéstrame una ciudad de ocho millones contraria --?
Sacudo mis puños y digo: "?muéstrame," pero nadie lo hace

Tan viva, tan valerosa, con corazones fuertes y hambrientos:

Digo, muéstrame una que canta en pobreza, y sonríe
Pruébame una como esa, que celebra alrededor del año a sus héroes
Muéstrame pintores tan buenos-que venden en las calles-

Tan buenos como: Picasso, Dali, Rembrant y Yang Yang

Y que recibe al mundo con extendidos brazos

Muéstrame todo esto, o algo de esto, y no diré mas

Con esto,

Desciendo a sus calles, atiborrada, zigzagueantes calles

Así como su raro vecindario con polvo en el aire
Y oigo la risa de los niños, los perros en los techos
Vista de los lustrabotas, hombres y muchachos, en los parques

Y los numerosos carros de comida, músicos y vendedores de periódicos

Y con su desnuda y desplumadas alas, cubriendo todo

-Mi Lima, Perú, con su renombrada catedral:

Amarilla dorada con su coronadas torres, y

Dentro de su plaza cuadrada, una celebrada pileta

Bajo su piel, con sus arrugados ancianos, tiernas mujeres,

Todos ellos parados altos, y reverenciando a su historia inca, su
gloria-
Su mundo que una vez gobernó todo, como el Imperio Romano

Como el sueño de América, ellos fueron los nobles, los reyes

Y ahora de pesadez, y esfuerzo, sudor, lucha, todos, todos extenuados, fatigados, este y cada día, amantes del Rey de los Reyes: Jesucristo-esta es la Lima que conozco, hoy; un poderoso barco que ya navegó los siete mares, ahora descansando?

Author/Poet Dennis Siluk, web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:50:43 GMT Mugabe Hands Ministries to His Party - New York Times Voice of America Mugabe Hands Ministries to His Party New York Times - 52 minutes ago By CELIA DUGGER JOHANNESBURG - In a step likely to lead to the collapse of a painstakingly negotiated power-sharing deal, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, in office for 28 years, has unilaterally declared that his party will retain the most powerful ... Mugabe 'gives Zanu-PF key posts' BBC News Zimbabwe's Mugabe hands key ministries to his party Reuters United Press International - AFP - Aljazeera.net - The Associated Press all 1,687 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:57:49 GMT Stevens's Reputation 'Sterling,' Powell Says - Washington Post Washington Post Stevens's Reputation 'Sterling,' Powell Says Washington Post - 8 hours ago By Del Quentin Wilber Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell told jurors in the corruption trial of Sen. Ted Stevens yesterday that the powerful Alaska Republican had a "sterling" reputation among the nation's military and political leaders. Reporter's Notebook: Powell Takes the Stand for Stevens FOXNews Powell says Sen. Stevens' integrity "sterling" Reuters CNN - Kansas City infoZine - The Miami Herald - ABC News all 2,865 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:13:53 GMT McCain calms supporters, urges respect for Obama - Los Angeles Times The Associated Press McCain calms supporters, urges respect for Obama Los Angeles Times - 2 hours ago 'NO MA'AM': Sen. John McCain takes a question from a supporter who called Democratic rival Barack Obama an Arab at a town hall meeting in Lakeville, Minn. McCain-Palin's hot rhetoric risks GOP backlash San Francisco Chronicle McCain Lauds and Attacks Obama in Same Day New York Times Boston Globe - Washington Post - Minneapolis Star Tribune - Reuters all 460 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:04:20 GMT Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' - Bloomberg Ottawa Citizen Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg - 7 hours ago By John Brinsley and Rebecca Christie Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson indicated that pumping government funds into banks is a priority and said financial markets will remain volatile. US to buy shares in struggling banks Los Angeles Times Obama welcomes Paulson plan to buy equity in firms Reuters MarketWatch - International Herald Tribune - Bizjournals.com - Washington Post all 2,114 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:21:05 GMT Thai protest leaders released on bail, vow new rallies - AFP GulfNews Thai protest leaders released on bail, vow new rallies AFP - 20 hours ago BANGKOK (AFP) - Leaders of Thai anti-government protests were granted bail Friday after surrendering to police and immediately vowed new rallies, raising fears of mounting turmoil days after deadly street clashes. Video: Raw Video: Tear Gas Fired at Thai Protestors AssociatedPress PAD leaders surrender to Thailand police United Press International The Associated Press - Washington Post - New York Times - International Herald Tribune all 2,495 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:31:03 GMT Morgan Stanley, Goldman May Gain Investment From US Treasury - Bloomberg Wall Street Journal Blogs Morgan Stanley, Goldman May Gain Investment From US Treasury Bloomberg - 7 hours ago By Christine Harper Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the biggest independent US investment banks, may reap cash infusions as part of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's plan to buy stakes in financial institutions, ... As Stock Falls, Morgan Looks to Japanese Bank New York Times Morgan Stanley hangs on Mitsubishi's $9bn pledge guardian.co.uk Forbes - New York Post - New York Times Blogs - Barron's all 895 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:30:39 GMT Palin violated ethics law, inquiry concludes - International Herald Tribune Washington Post Palin violated ethics law, inquiry concludes International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago By Serge F. Kovaleski NEW YORK: Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, abused her powers as governor of Alaska by pressuring subordinates to try to get her former brother-in-law, a state trooper, fired, according to an investigation ... Palin ethics lapse cited Los Angeles Times Alaska probe finds Palin 'abused her power' Indian Express Baltimore Sun - Boston Globe - New York Times - Reuters all 4,043 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:58:28 GMT RSS For Web Pages Increase Web Traffic

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