Metamorphoses (Nerudesque)

          When an extra finger is added,

           to gnaw it off makes you cry out

           in pain....

                                             Chuang Tzu

Is it impertinent to ask

why moths fly to flames?

Do they confuse the lantern

under a basket with the sun?

Or is it just a matter of

misunderstanding names?

Why don't they wake early in the morning

from a fantastic dream and fly straight

into sunrise to become butterflies?

Do owls recall when they were

simple-minded eagles and unwise?

Do bats dream of being mice?

And amoebas—do they dream

of being twice-born?

The unicorn—does he or she

have nightmares under a rack

of antlers?

So with the polar bear.

Is it some boring bruin

who followed the bright ice

north growing waterwings?

Or under all the whiteness

is just some grizzled fright

who one Spring night neglected
to awake from dreams of ice cream
and seal-flavored popsicles?

E. A. Costa 24 May 2014 Granada, Nicaragua

The Impossible Black Tulip/ El tulipán negro imposible

利瑪竇

You,

longbeard most admired

among the big noses:

stand here with us

at the center,

at the midpoint of the quicunx.

you,

longbeard most admired

among the big noses:

you,

impossible like the black tulip

and yet exist with us here at the center...friend.

El tulipán imposible negro

利瑪竇

Tú,

de barba larga,

el más admirado

entre las narices grandes:

Tú,

estás de pie aquí con nosotros en el centro,

en el punto medio del quincunce.

Tú,

de barba larga,

el más admirado

entre las narices grandes:

Tú,

imposible como el tulipán negro

y aún existes en el centro con nosotros--amigo.

E. A. Costa  17 mayo 2014 Granada, Nicaragua