Saturday, October 20, 2012

Los Heraldos Negro: Cesar Vallejo

I recently watched the film máncora, which was a pretty okay film for an unpopular one, but the beginning of the movie begins with an amazing poem by Cesar Vallejo. I have never been so moved by a piece of poetry. I tend to gravitate toward the melancholy side of the arts. Sad poems, songs, and art work. There is so much beauty in sadness..Weird as may sound. So, I felt like sharing the poem. I included the original, as well as 2 translations taken from the website that I found.

Los Heraldos Negro

Hay golpes en la vida tan fuertes . . . ¡Yo no se!
Golpes como del odio de Dios; como si ante ellos;
la resaca de todo lo sufrido se empozara en el alma
¡Yo no se!
Son pocos; pero son . . . abren zanjas oscuras
en el rostro mas fiero y en el lomo mas fuerte,
Serán talvez los potros de bárbaros atilas;
o los heraldos negros que nos manda la Muerte


Son las caídas hondas de los Cristos del alma,
de alguna adorable que el Destino Blasfema,
Esos golpes sangrientos son las crepitaciones
de algún pan que en la puerta del horno se nos quema


Y el hombre....pobre...¡pobre!
Vuelve los ojos,
como cuando por sobre el hombro
nos llama una palmada;
vuelve los ojos locos,
y todo lo vivido
se empoza, como charco de culpa,
en la mirada.


Hay golpes en la vida, tan fuertes . . . ¡Yo no se!

As with any great poem, a single translation rarely suffices. So I offer two; the first by Clayton Eshelman and the second by an unidentified source. [If anyone knows this unidentified translator, I would appreciate being advised as—of the two—it's my favorite translation.]

There are in life such hard blows . . . I don't know!
Blows seemingly from God's wrath; as if before them
the undertow of all our sufferings
is embedded in our souls . . . I don't know!

There are few; but are . . . opening dark furrows
in the fiercest of faces and the strongest of loins,
They are perhaps the colts of barbaric Attilas
or the dark heralds Death sends us.

They are the deep falls of the Christ of the soul,
of some adorable one that Destiny Blasphemes.
Those bloody blows are the crepitation
of some bread getting burned on us by the oven's door

And the man . . . poor . . . poor!
He turns his eyes around, like
when patting calls us upon our shoulder;
he turns his crazed maddened eyes,
and all of life's experiences become stagnant, like a puddle of guilt, in a daze.

There are such hard blows in life. I don't know.



* * *
There are blows in life so violent—I can't answer!
Blows as if from the hatred of God; as if before them,
the deep waters of everything lived through
were backed up in the soul . . . I can't answer!

Not many; but they exist . . . They open dark ravines
in the most ferocious face and in the most bull-like back.
Perhaps they are the horses of that heathen Atilla,
or the black riders sent to us by Death.

They are the slips backward made by the Christs of the soul,
away from some holy faith that is sneered at by Events.
These blows that are bloody are the crackling sounds
from some bread that burns at the oven door.

And man . . . poor man! . . . poor man!
He swings his eyes, as
when a man behind us calls us by clapping his hands;
Swings his crazy eyes, and everything alive
is backed up, like a pool of guilt, in that glance.

There are blows in life so violent . . . I can't answer!


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Halloween

I'm pretty sure that most everyone that knows me, knows that I will NEVER pass up a good party, or offer to dress up, or be goofy...

Case in point:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So of course, what Am I most excited about this month!?
 
HALLOWEEN! I luff it.
 
Through the years I have tried to come up with appropriate, yet creative costumes. I have never been one to try and be skanky for halloween. Mainly because I would look like a stuffed sausage in one of those skimpy outfits, and also becasue I would rock some serious CNS without covering my entire outfit up with a coat..those things have ZERO coverage.
 
Usually I end up being someone who is blonde. It makes the most sense. But a lot of time and thought goes into my costumes every year.

Halloween 2007
 
Hulk Hogan

Or Halloween 2008
 
 
Miss Piggy

and I think we all remember Halloween 2009
 
 
 
 
 

Jareth the Goblin King (labyrinth)
 
Halloween 2010
 
 
Giant Alice
 
And finally last year 2011
I was the Great Nancy Magill..I wish I had a picture of my sister as my dad..Greatest costume of all time.
 
This year Is particularly difficult because I am in a City where nobody knows me, and wouldn't get my humor if I was to cross dress...so what to do?
 
I have considered everything from, Capitan love, from The Mask of Zorro (I need Hay to be Zorro so no..), to Brett Michaels from Rock of love, to JEM, who really is truly truly outrageous. But nothing would make sense out here. So what is my solution? well, I am a nanny, so it should be something that is appropriate for the kids that I watch, plus I am wanting to be something that's not as ridiculous as last year....ahem..cough mom cough..
 
So here's the choice,
 
Halloween 2012
Supergirl
 
I'm so excited about this! Classic costume, but I can put my own 1940's twang to it like the Original Supergirl
 


Get excited people. This halloween is going to be Awesome!
 
 
 
 

September = Fall

Well, since I have decided that I am staying in Chicago for the next unknown amount of years, I figured that it was time that I get out and explore a little bit. I have yet to visit any museums, look out from the top of the sears tower, or take any boat rides through downtown Chicago. I did however go apple picking with my ward.....in Wisconsin. so much for exploring the city.
 
Things that  I learn while in Wisconsin:
 
Its pretty
 
 There are lots of farms
 
 
It looks a lot like Illinois
 
 
Wisconsinites like Cheese, fried style
 
all the highschoolers (that I saw) look like they could be Duggar siblings.
 
 
They have amazing home made apple donuts and Apple Cider Shakes
 
 
Overall, it was a great ward activity.
 
 
In other news, Its fall! My favorite season!
 






 
 
I am so happy that I can wear fall sweaters and boots! I have a big obsession lately.
 
 
Its a bit of a problem because I will wear them NO MATTER WHAT.
 
Even if it means

 
I love the hot chocolate drinking, leg warmer wearing, turn on the fireplace and make chilli and cornbread fall season. Plus soon it will be halloween, thanksgiving, and best of all my birthday!
 
Happy Fall Everyone!