XLVI

De las estrellas que admire, mojadas

por rios y rocios diferentes,

yo no escogi sino la que yo amaba

ydesde entonces duermo con la noche.

De la ola, una ola y otra ola,

verde mar verde frio, rama verde,

yo no escogi sino una sola ola:

la ola indivisible de tu cuerpo.

Todas las gotas, todas las raices,

todos los hilos de la luz vinieron,

me vinieron a ver tarde o temprano.

Yo quise para mi tu cabellera.

Y de todos los dones de mi patria

solo escogi tu corazon salvaje.

Pablo Neruda

Of all the stars I admired, drenched

in various rivers and mists,

I chse only the one I love.

Since then I sleep with the night.

Of all the waves, one wave and another wave,

green sea, green chill, branchings of green,

I chose only the one wave,

the invisible wave of your body.

All the waterdrops, all the roots,

all the threads of light gathered to me here;

they came to me sooner or later.

I wanted your hair, all for myself.

From all the graces my homeland offered

I chose only your savage heart.

Pablo Neruda

Translated by Stephen Tapscott