Happy Birthday
The first time I read this Mario Benedetti poem I was 18 or maybe 19, and I was very surprised to see a poem dedicated to someone who was specifically 28 years old. It is not a symbolic age for anything, as far as I know. At that point in my life, 28 sounded like a young age, but still, very far away from me. But of course, all birthdays (hopefully) come, and now I am 28, like the intriguing protagonist of this lovely poem.
COMO SIEMPRE
Aunque hoy cumplas
trescientos treinta y seis meses
la matusalénica edad no se te nota cuando
en el instante en que vencen los crueles
entrás a averiguar la alegría del mundo
y mucho menos todavía se te nota
cuando volás gaviotamente sobre las fobias
o desarbolás los nudosos rencores
buena edad para cambiar estatutos y horóscopos
para que tu manantial mane amor sin miseria
para que te enfrentes al espejo que exige
y pienses que estás linda
y estés linda
casi no vale la pena desearte júbilos
y lealtades
ya que te van a rodear como ángeles o veleros
es obvio y comprensible
que las manzanas y los jazmines y
los cuidadores de autos y los ciclistas
y las hijas de los villeros
y los cachorros extraviados
y los bichitos de san antonio
y las cajas de fósforo
te consideren una de los suyos
de modo que desearte un feliz cumpleaños
podría ser tan injusto con tus felices
cumpledías
acordate de esta ley de tu vida
si hace algún tiempo fuiste desgraciada
eso también ayuda a que hoy se afirme
tu bienaventuranza
de todos modos para vos no es novedad
que el mundo
y yo
te queremos de veras
pero yo siempre un poquito más que el mundo.
AS USUAL
Even though today you are
three hundred and thirty months old
this venerable age is unnoticeable when
the instant cruel ones win
you go and discover the happiness of the world
and it is even less noticeable when
you fly seagully over phobias
or undo knotty grudges.
Good age to change laws and horoscopes
for your fountains to flow love without measure
for you to face the demanding mirror
and think you’re pretty
and be pretty.
It’s hardly worth it to wish you joys
and loyalties
because they are going to surround you like angels or ships
It is obvious and understandable
that apples and jasmine
and car-minders, and cyclers
and the daughter of farmers
and stray puppies
and ladybugs
and the boxes of matches
consider you one of them.
so to wish you a happy birthday
could be so unfair to your happy
everydays
Remember this law of your life
If you ever were miserable
that also helps to affirm
your bliss
Anyway it’s not new to you that the world
and I
really love you
but I always love you a little bit more than the world.
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Liz -