The Burden of Life

by Eduardo White

The burden of life!
I loved bearing it, just like you,
hearing it grow inside me,
in living flesh.

I didn't only want
to open your wound,
I didn't only want
the patient vocation of a labourer:
I wanted the earth's vocation too,
which also is yours.

Treat love like a profession,
to be practised with great care.

Repeat to perfection
as often as necessary,
until it lasts
and everything inside
is in the right place.

Let the sun rise into the night.
Never let love become a leftover, a memory.

The literal translation of this poem was made by Stefan Tobler

The final translated version of the poem is by The Poetry Translation Workshop

Comments

  1. April 3rd, 2013 at 7:57 am

    Đào Công Bá Khâm says:

    SO PROFOUND A POEM!

     

  2. November 21st, 2012 at 6:52 pm

    abu yamamahma says:

    In the morning mist

    Cold as ice came a thought

    And I clinched my fist..

    All the man dies but …

    This early morning call…

    A man said to died last night…

    The man living by the grit..

    Oh they will burry him and everyone will say

    The burden of existence is over now and it’s the end of list…

  3. November 25th, 2010 at 6:40 pm

    Jay says:

    An exquisite poem, absolutely beautiful

  4. January 2nd, 2009 at 12:48 am

    jessica white says:

    i love this poem! Amazing and emotional, it's  a really beautiful poem.