eae Deters een Seca Rene sere cl eee ec atan Reo ei Eieeteac us. Ba sea ing. work ae proper season. Biren onINTROOUCTIGN Translation: Dialogue of Exile ‘The contemporary world isa place of exiles and refugees; the Gisplaced run like rivers through myriad countries, flowing toward the seas: Baile isabling iver winding from country to country To leave is not as easy as it may seem. The e matter the circumstances, faces tremendous loss, absenceation. A sense of abandoning fa friends generates great doubt, sorrow and remorse or even though the exile kr litical, social and huma The exile loses one steps over a threshold, across a border, as itwas vanishes. Like trees, human beings find iedifficult ro be wrenched up, our roots torn away. The vestiges lef behind whatwas. We cannathelp butexistin state of suspension shock and night- ocation recede, tatstateof suspension becomes one of al If roots are not planted fiom the cut 5, we may become ghosts pr tread the seawaters of dreams: “Through the streets, they pursue old shadows photos of the dead The Bile") In one’s absence, everything changes. Nothing is a it was, ‘one's own identity. Forced departure requites a shift Buised by the flight, but inexorably translates one’s some different “self —hunted bizds— welose what we win and whatwe'vewon mn her sea crossing ftom Uruguay to Spain, Cristina Peti Rossi carvied her} in which to draw the anguished, vis ceral portrait of the translation of self and the difficulty of oming to terms with flight and abandonment. The poems it State of ney, translated chrough LY + prologue, Peri Rossi states that “pain-casteation! love for the adopted city” was the progression ofseney into exile. In 1972 she left one cou for another. So long stow ‘speaks to this experience: the physic State of Exile ) Politica exileis location, among places unknown. Flig is rarely an unforced decision; one may be forced by a ntry or may decide to leave pe- cause one faces likely imprisonment, the military dictatorship in Crist ‘Uruguay, in the early 1970s, capture was torture and possib murdered and driven form of exile as wel isolated region of their own country, We ink ofthe gulags ofthe former S ion, forexample, or stories from centuries past, butthe factis that internal exileex- jow in the United States, a country of exiles,“ Jvefugees and survivors, Prison isa state of ex ‘men and women wait to retur ly, relationships, are traces of what once was. Release is a date, but does always deliver one to. place that was home. Therefore, while some waitand plan to return—notunlike many political exiles 8 are forced to imagine reassembling their lives in places foreign to their experience—exiles yet again Some prisoners resign themselves and stow theirimagina- in boxes labeled “Open upon release date” and bury them- the oblivion of prison culture, despair, relioverwhatonce was, hat whic and over which they cea with intemal ee and guard th subetance of lig— penfence and nureure Inove, and even subvert the programmed woul of the Kepeis ithekeepe'radar—note dif who Tooke ove het sboulder ina ange 2 the experience that Cristina Peri Rosi poet- cally nantes in Sato Exile Thies where begin, the translator ine of a tranplator military dictatorship of Uruguay. She w whi external ‘ime and was captured. Tecame a U.S. pol née and ‘was sentenced tointernal exile, where remain after morg than Because of my own state of exile, Cri ney has great meaning forme. I translate het work because her point of view provoke me, compel me toengage with joughts, her emotions. I want ‘understandingaboutwhathappened in the pastin otdertober- ter understand the present. ‘While thirty years is a very long time ture, this poetic wark has not lost its States is not so very different from Uruguay inthe r970s. After itprovided endless undercover support forthe Uruguayan ‘generals then; today it applauds torture as a necessity to up- hold the beacon of deluded democracy. Given the number of people, historically, who have come to the United States as political exile, the poetry of exile is cru cial to an usgent and critical self-examination of the Ameri- car sate. For those who are notable to imagine exile, of those who never have considered it (even though they may be de- scendants of either exiles or refugees—or both), pethaps this translation of Peri Rossi's verse can lead to questioning or it for themselves.Exile as Poetic Translation slvesan act of transformation. —Octavio Paz ‘Translation is arte of transformation, Generally, tis thought of only as the movement from one language to anothet; how- to transfer). Transference or tra inks many realms: place to place, senses to the thought to the utterance. Cristina Peri Rossi connects exile to translation of se. An ened and to imagine ho} one 9f leaving is transformatiye and i : f i : seeks translation. Peri Rossi finds that through salvaging, self as a writer, she transposes her existence from “what was to “what would become” She claims this transla through poetry Por luggage suitcase fullof paper and anguish the paper towrite the anguish ‘This poetic journey begins with the tortured UruguayanThe pain of those left behind, those captuced, tortured and | po- tic tide that travels from one side of the sea to the other. In “Letter from Mam she questions: “Whatarewe who stay 20- ing to do?” Later, in “Letter from Mam I" she relates They told us that thi new general butifanything changed itwas forthe worse abandonm But it isthe by page, wave by wave, as reaches “the other side” Loss and absence does so by recording t theemotional acer edness. eft her tothe dogs" Well trained, military dogs sgay he was a mathematician ever wanted to go to Europe, PexGrossing Over ¥ Peri Rossi’s poetry is poetry of this real world; her verses are fragments of emotion ory. They gather, ate life preservers, She lands in a world of virtually a non-person, but as she gai strange world, she begin t ‘The later poems in State of B late and integiate the cultural an i references gained through her pas- sage and experience. After she was forced to flee fiom Franco's Spain in the first year of her exile), she returned to Barcelona, wh adopted as her new home. In "Round Trip” she examines her own dreams of home and nostalgia: Migt city faded atsixin the evening this city from which wee loss would be too difficuleto beara second time. In “Gotan,” written before the possibility of return to Uruguay existed, she employs tango lyrics—the music of nostalgia as as partof her homeland’s culeure—to underscore the im- Theres no return: time fies space changes Exile and redemi \ ie future), and desire awakens to nurture itself through y. Thede- rely wait, translates into new creations, cd seas.September 2007 * isthe map forherSielexilio no fuera una terrible experiencia humana, seria un sgéneto literario. © ambas cosas a Ja vez. La etimolog’ palabra es muy expresiva: ex significa, precisamente, qui ‘noes, ha dejado de ser Bs decir, quien ha perdido toda o parte una relacién sentimental. Sélo cuand desde el més rem bolos (desde las banderas haste los himnos, desde la manera exile were nota tertible human experience, itwould bea lit- rary genre. Orboth thingsatthe same time, The etymology of the word expresses a lot: “ex” signifies precisely “one who no has stopped being” That is to say: one tall or pact of her or his identity. Exile calls into ty inasmuch as one sds thevery remote, s ile of Sp preserved in spitde cocinar duccién hasta los pasos de una danza) se carg fe significa ign: dejan de ser t : raices, en anclas. Si vi te vivir no lema dela es naufiagio. ‘Uruguay, pafs en el que Hac, smencién de minombreen cul fui despojada de mi cétedia de (6 escribit en Cuando dejé Montevideo a bardo de italiana (el i care, dela Compatila Tras fa, fundamental jecome charged with significance—fiom the flags to # hymns, als to the dance steps. They are no longer commonplace, they ve is to navigate ("To is necessary, ogan ofthe Hanseatic League), js the and of the sailor, and all beyond the sea the countey where I was orn, my books were banned, along with any mention of my was removed ftom my pro- erature; Iwas barred from writ- zation, Silenced, threatened and hounded, | {hoped that Twouldn’t be gone very. long. Noone n choo a tourist guide where end up. Aship and destiny brought me to Barcelo name in any media tdyafier, had to leave this city also; res ime. Later, returned to Spain to sta. ‘Whe I left Montevideo aboard the Giulio Gesare (an Ktalian Fi Mediterranean Company), T had one deep-seated fear: that T would not be able to write againsQue mi identidad de escritora sufriere una fractura tan abisal ‘que me indujeraal silencio. Dicho de otto modo: el exilio como metéforas es el fan- 1 pérdida pone enevidencia, sin darme cuenta, ocurri cia que conciernea partes, ele ron escritos ricanas, cuand Barcel argentinos, w azates dt lz Infante that my identity as a writer would suffer a ftacture so fathom- less.as to rendermesi (Castration wi jother way: exile is castrating. my realizingit, the contrary oc- 5 with all experience that concerns the whole person- its parts, exile begged me for words, that vite, obliged me to make sense of my emotions. Iwrote those days: “While I suffer from the ymore, in exile, Twrite. While fearcas- ‘ne and shatter into pieces, Inite at compose State of Exile were bitteryeats ofthe Latin American dictatorships, seesyin embargo, io pudor fre lo nar en las calles de as cludades adopt queria vo, al desgarra- evitar, ademis, sonmiseracién, Por eso, confirma Tanoueh; ‘bros, de mis amigos yde todo aquel rante los treinta primeros afios de mi a su amigo te adelanta.” Por pde- scontraba adecirqyeet idn't intend to publish it. A ness held me back, It ist’t easy to cry ‘adopted cities, and Ihad no wish to conteibute idual heartbreak. 1 also issistic complacency and self-pity, For that reason very few are written in the Brst perso wetested in expres clings and emotions as at the suffer- in order to stop looking at my own, Had I stof these poems were writ- ‘alone, sick, an exile far from s, my friends and ev- 1 frst thirty year (Once the pain eased alittle, I began to express that exile«xilio 10s proporcionaba una segunda oportunidad: la de em ezar a vivir en otra parte, cuando ya sabemos las dos bosas mas importantes de la y (Go se consuela ufiagio (en umen) en 1974, alegoria en versos de una derrola, de luna ruptura, de una separacién, es decir, de un es Borla, también, de una superyivencia. Por entonces dec(d que 0 importante no era sobrevivit, sino iste, ni desolado: de todas nos salva la imputso (en 1973, como para las Torres Gemelas, (reeditado recientemen libro donde predom ity—to begin to live in jow the two mostimportant things and to write. (That isn't any consolation to ) ion of @ Shipwreck in 974 legory in verse about defeat, jon—thatis, aboutexile. Butitisalsoan what was ame that gave resonance and was was not a sad hes, including that,Largas son las dictaduras (lo terrible de soportarlas 4, entre otras cosas, que uno no puede saber entfetanta, ‘otros poemas del libro Estadodeexilio para completar el periplo: stracign-integracién-amor a la ciudad adoptiva. Por ina con dos poemas de aceptacién yamor ala las distancias, al fo creo que un exiliado sélo se integeh pl ‘mente cuando se enamora de alguien gue ha acid allrdonde legs para Salvarse. Otia vez, la al roméntico por excelencia) so ido que una dictalura sin rostro, sin identidad, es de cardcter met pero during them is, among other things, that one can never know when they will end), and exileis long. Meanwhile, Lcontinued n order to tegration-love forthe y Book finishes with two poems of think that an exi integrated only when she falls in love with someone who was, ere she has fled to save herself Ag Malvinas’ ended. And the Uruguayan m © the Sibylline oracle, refused to speak its knowing that a dictatorship without a face, without an iden- y, has a metaphysical characte able, Perhaps some of at do happen. le passed—thousands of expatriates longed-for homelands, In an unforgettabl }Pero mite, yo no regresé. Me quedé aqui. Ni ia de aflora iferente. Soy muy que is nostalgias, tener siempre las mismas; convivo conellas, nou ‘con otras. Sé perfectamente lo quees extta San Martin y Yatay, los sébados ala a saber cémo es extrafiar Paseo de Gracia 0 sis cafeverfas preferidas de Barcelona Después, vinieron las igrantes, otros erra- 8, OtF0s muertos, otros fracasos, otras desolaci ‘Uno se exlia para salvar la vida del terror que es la tepres queestambié pasé parte desi rn, [remained here. I did not to repeat the experience of longing. I do not want to feel different nostalgia; prefer ta hold on tothe same one. lived with it, do not wat fectly well what it is to eras came—the ti fs and boats from Notth Aftica. Otheremigrants, other wanderers, other deaths, rs, other anguishes. One goes into exile to save e's life from the terror of repression, butalso from hunger fiat the poems of the box, orcoffin,es diferente, pero tiene algo en c gia. Comparti con Alberti ‘mar (que él llam6, siempre, la. Jaralade Monte noel polvo dees en comin el amor al mat, asf opind En poesta, como en ningtin otzo género, el tiempo es tro implacable. Tre ada, 0 son una ete Apuesto por ambas Barcelona, 2003 ia, Besides being in exil love forthe sea (which he always referred to tof Montevideo) fish, not the acd) ough my poetty and ave only the love of the sea in common, ok, and the jury was Inrpoetry, as in no other genze, time is an implacable judge. ing, orthey arean eternity. 'llbet Barcelona, 2003cARTA DE MAMA verre rman wank Letter from Mam: “My dear daughter, ifeveryone leaves, what are we who stay going to do?” Cartademamé:,“ “itodonse ra iol ser fos que nos quedamos?” qué vamos a hae’Lo mejor es no nacer, pero en caso de nacer, Jomejores no serexliado,; 7O THE GREEK pessimists ldbe better natto be born, incase one is born, itwould be better notto be exiled.‘muy pronto tan lejos bastante mal siempre dificultad palabras furiosa largo extraffo extranjero qué m: s6lo mio diferente todo fuera mds humano soon so fir away quite badly always if Tjustlook differently everything could be more human,Noword1 damp itwas cold wo days ‘No contesto las cattas para no comprometer a mis parientes, dos ojos, “They gouged out Pedro's eyes before him to death, before, only alittle before” jera qué es el exlio para usted’y nego sela dejaron a los perros” Bien entret Tos perros de los m ellas muchachas con bellas mujeres, J2culpa no a tiene el perro, sabeusté, rotos os dedos, la moral estd alta, compafiero, jer, la moral sigue alta, compatiero, a leftherto the dogs” Well tained, military dogs powerful animals dogs aren't guilty you know, strong dogs, itary dogs, they eatevery day - they do notlack worsen to fuck. “Whats exile like for you?” Certainly they'l pay him forthe article, we haven't eaten for days “Morale is high, compafiero, morale is unbroken” broken fingers, zn0 h, compafiero ; 1s high, compafiero,ra cinco francos 7 cost five francs on the lastcigare downto ffm sure thgustaria ‘me gustaria mucho 1 ‘mandar ala mierda a unos cuantes hijos de puta, to send some of those sons of bitches to hel de manera indolora; claro es F painlessly, of course, porque soy civilizada x com preservativ. q Tmake love with acondom. _-Elexilio es tener un franco en el bolsillo eel telefono se trague la moneda ynolasuelte lamada— gue nos damos leis having one franc in your pocket ping itinto a pay phone ws and doesn't return it —no money, no call— atthe exact momentyou realize the phone is outof order,Un dia yo iba por una calle, estaba sin empleo y muy nervids iba por una calle en busca de una de esas casas donde los muertos de hambre dotmimos cansadoy muy nervioso y de pronto via una pareja un matrimonio maduro legante bien vestido ropa cara ropa fina eran turistas comprando cosas y miran miraban las tiendas de moda y las pel y'los restaurantes eran turistas hhablaban wenguayo, igual que yo, yoestaba muy nervioso ese dla, tllos se vefa que habfan comprado muchas cosas, One day I wandered the street, was jobless and quite nervous wandered the street searching for one of those houses where the starving might sleep without payi was tired and very nervous suddenly sawa couple middle-aged couple elegantwell-dressed fine clothes expensive clothes, ‘were tourists, wwindow-shopping buying things fashionable shops and bair salons they were tourists they spoke like Uruguayans, like Ido, Iwas very nervous that day, you could see they'd boughta lotof things,they recognized me by my face —the face of adversity, as Onettit said— “You're from Uruguay, aren'tyou?” they sald “very French, as French as the and Ileft because ifTkilled them would be taken prMi primer viaje sin parar Ja marconstante Jamarantigna Jamar a mar, el mal Quince dias deagua sin uces de neén sin calles sin aceras sin ciudades slo} de algiin barco en fugitiva Quince dias de mar cincertidumbre no sabia adénde iba ‘My firstjourney ‘was into exile fifteen days atsea thesea, sickness Fifteen days of water ‘without neon lights Tifteen days of sea and uncertainty not knowing where Iwas going not kuowing destiny’s portnoalos gatosBARCELONA, LINEA DE METRO, HORA CERO Los andenes solitarios estiniluminados, Hay earteles de pelfculas porno, anuncios de sedantes y de bonitos dormitorios para parejas recién casadas, Unjoven fornida, de gorra de colores ‘mea sin contemplaciones contra la pared yuna punkie de pelo rojo y pantalones de cuero aun portoen: or la boca abierta del andén aparece Ja mendiga que duerme todas las noches: Consulte cartelera.” Bl timo metto seretrasa pero nadie tiene prisa, Fltipo Fornido ha dejado, en efecto, de meat, pero seguramente volverfa a hacetlo MIDNIGHT, BARCELONA METRO “The empty platforms ar ere are billboards for porno flicks, is for sedatives and fovely bedroom sets for newiyweds. burly young guy in a multicolored cap pisses on the wall without ceremony and a punker with red hair and leather pants rolls ajoint on the top step. “Through the yawning mouth of the platform appears the beggar who sleeps every nightin a eardboard box electronic marquee: Museums-Opera-Concerts.wrapped in actoud of solitude, of difference. dela diferencia.‘Me vendié un cartén de bingo yme pregunté de dénde era “Habla el espafiol mds dulce del mun me contest6 mientras se iba blandiendo los cartones como abalorios de a suerte. Ami, esa noche, ya no me import6 perder o ganar. Me di cuenta de que estaba enganchada a una lengua como a una madre, yqueel salén de bingo eral itero materno. She sold mea bingo card and asked me where Iwas from. “From Uruguay,’ I told hes. “You speak the sweetest Spanish in the world,” she answered as she continued smoothing the cards ike worry beads. orme, that night, tno longer mattered whether won orlost. realized my connection toa language astoa mother, and the bingo parlor ‘was the maternal womb.clataboyas verdes yy elenvolvente olor de las glicinas flores borrachas flores lilas Unaciudad detangos tristes jejas prostitutas de dos por cuatro marineros extraviados ybares que se llaman City Pack. Ysin embargo laquise ‘con un amor desesperado Ja ciudad de los imposibles delos barcos encallados de las prostitutas que no cobran delos mendigos que recitan a Baudelaire La ciudad que aparece en mis suetios accesible Iejana al mismo tiempo sgreenclit skylights the wisteriasfragrantembrace drunken flowers and violet blossoms Acity of sad tangos old hookers in two-four time lostsailors ‘and bars called City Park, Nevertheless Tloved her with a hopeless love this city of impossibilities of boats run aground hookers who don’t charge and beggars who recite Baudelaire ‘The city that appears in my dreams ‘within each and at the same time, remoteIacindad d vos tenderos px los ebanistas gallegos ylos suspendida quese 1 French poets 1d Polish storekeepers Spanish cabinetmakersCERCANIAS No necesito ir muy lejos para sofiar ‘me permite bautizar con otto: Mi ajenidad —soy la exteanjera, lade pas sla ciudadania universal del need to go very fat to dream, [train to the suburbs is enough for me Some rusted tracks that run along the seashore and| feel 'm already in another world My ignorance of the nomenclature lows me to baptize with other names ‘My foreignness am the foreigner, the passing stranger— the univetsal citizenship of dreams.BARNANIT Creo que poramarte voy amar tu geografia ina fea ciudad fabri” 16 su poeta, Joan Maragall— laavenida que a atraviesa diagonalmente como un to inacabable las fachadas de los edificios llenos de humo bajo los cuales —palimpsestos— se descubren dibujas ant inseripeiones romenas Creo que por amarte voy a aprender la lengua nueva BARNANIT loving you shall love your geography —“an ugly manuficeuring city” your poetfoan Maragall called it~ the avenue that asses her diagonally like an endless river the facades of buildings covered by soot under which presis— are discovered ancient Roman inscriptions hink that in loving you I shall learn a new tongue 2 Cetalonin abbevation or Bateson