Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Deficiencies, by Mario Quintana


Translated by Suhas Parandekar; Corrections are welcome, I use the feminine gender rather than spoiling the effect of this piece by saying ‘him/her’. A close friend of mine sent this poem to me and I also found it on the blog maintained by Luciana Cantanhede, which has a number of graphic elements and in general seems to be a very active and popular blog.

I would rather title this piece as:

"Definitions of Deficiency"

She who cannot change her life, passively accepting the impositions of the people around her or the society in which she lives, without being conscious of the fact that she is the maker of her own destiny – “Deficient”

She who cannot find happiness in what she already has – “Insane”

She who cannot see the person next to her dying of cold, of hunger, of misery, because she has eyes only for her pathetic problems and her minor aches – “Blind”

She who does not have time to hear the confidences of a friend, or a plea of a brother; Who is always pressured by her labours to guarantee the odd cents of her salary at the end of the month – “Deaf”

She who cannot speak what she feels and who hides behind a mask of hypocrisy – “Mute”

She who cannot walk in the direction of those who need her help – “Paralytic”

She who does not know how to be sweet – “Diabetic”

She who does not know how to let love grow by itself – “Dwarf”

And finally, the worst of all the deficiencies is to be miserable; since those who cannot speak with the Divine within them are “Miserable”

“Friendship is the name for a love that never dies.”

I take a sort of translator's poetic licence in altering slightly the last definition, about being miserable. I am sure the poet did not mean this to be a religious poem. And the reason why he put the last fragment at the end of all the deficiencies - a definition of friendship, I did not really understand, because surely friendship cannot be a deficiency. But I think to myself, if you understood everything, it would not be a poem now, would it?


DEFICIÊNCIAS – Mario Quintana

"Deficiente" é aquele que não consegue modificar sua vida, aceitando as imposições de outras pessoas ou da sociedade em que vive, sem ter consciência de que é dono do seu destino.

"Louco" é quem não procura ser feliz com o que possui.

"Cego" é aquele que não vê seu próximo morrer de frio, de fome, de miséria, e só tem olhos para seus míseros problemas e pequenas dores.

"Surdo" é aquele que não tem tempo de ouvir um desabafo de um amigo, ou o apelo de um irmão. Pois está sempre apressado para o trabalho e quer garantir seus tostões no fim do mês.

"Mudo" é aquele que não consegue falar o que sente e se esconde por trás da máscara da hipocrisia.

"Paralítico" é quem não consegue andar na direção daqueles que precisam de sua ajuda.

"Diabético" é quem não consegue ser doce.

"Anão" é quem não sabe deixar o amor crescer.

E, finalmente, a pior das deficiências é ser miserável, pois:"Miseráveis" são todos que não conseguem falar com Deus.

"A amizade é um amor que nunca morre. "