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n 17, November 2004

Departamento de Filologa Inglesa

Universidad de Alicante

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ISSN 0214-4808 CODEN RAEIEX

Editor Emeritus Pedro Jess Marcos Prez

Editors Jos Mateo MartnezandFrancisco YusAssistant Editor Judith Williams

Editorial Board

Asuncin Alba (UNED) Enrique Alcaraz Var (University of Alicante) Romn lvarez (University ofSalamanca) Norman F. Blake (University of Sheffield) Juan de la Cruz (University of Mlaga) BerndDietz (University of La Laguna) Angela Downing (University of Madrid, Complutense) FranciscoFernndez (University of Valencia) Fernando Galvn (University of Alcal) Francisco Garca Tortosa

(University of Seville) Pedro Guardia (University of Barcelona) Ernst-August Gutt (SIL) Pilar Hidalgo(University of Mlaga) Ramn Lpez Ortega (University of Extremadura) Catalina Montes (Uni versityof Salamanca) Susana Onega (University of Zaragoza) Julio C. Santoyo (University of Len) JohnSinclair (University of Birmingham)

Advisory Board

Manuel Almagro Jimnez (University of Seville) Jos Antonio lvarez Amors (University of La Corua) Jos Ramn Belda Medina (University of Alicante) Antonio Bravo Garca (University of Oviedo) Miguel ngel Campos Pardillos (University of Alicante) Silvia Caporale (University of Alicante) Fernando Cerezal (University of Alcal) ngeles de la Concha (UNED) Jos Carnero Gonzlez(University of Seville) Isabel Daz Snchez (University of Alicante) Teresa Gibert Maceda (UNED) Teresa Gmez Reus (University of Alicante) Jos S. Gmez Solio (Universi ty of La Laguna) JosManuel Gonzlez (University of Alicante) Brian Hughes (University of Alicante) Antonio Lillo Buades(University of Alicante) Lourdes Lpez Ropero (University of Alicante) Cynthia Migulez Giambruno(University of Alicante) Teresa Morell Moll (University of Alicante) Bryn Moody (University of Alicante) Ana Isabel Ojea Lpez (University of Oviedo) Flix Rodrguez Gonzlez (Universi ty of Alicante) Pamela Stoll Dougall (University of Alicante) Mara Socorro Surez (University of Oviedo) Justine Tally(University of La Laguna) Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles (University of Alicante) M. Carmen fricaVidal (University of Salamanca)

The Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses is published yearly by the Department of English at theUniversity of Alicante in volumes of approximately 250 pages. The journal aims to provide a forum fordebate and an outlet for research involving all aspects of English Studies.

NATURE AND FORMAT OF THE ARTICLES: The Revistawould welcome articles of the following kinds:(1) Articles on linguistics and ELT, literature, literary theory and criticism, history and other aspects ofthe culture of the English-speaking nations. Articles should not exceed nine thousand words in length.(2) Bibliographies of studies on very specific topics, providing a brief introduction and a list of basicpublications. A concise index of contents may optionally be included. (3) Reviews and review ar ticleson recently published books in the field of English Studies. (4) Poetry translations (English-Spanish andSpanish-English). All articles submitted should follow the guidelines which can be obtained from thefollowing Internet address:

http://www.ua.es/dfing/publicaciones/raei/general/instrucciones.htm

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Portada: Enrique PrezGabinete de Diseo de la Universidad de Alicante

ISSN: 0214-4808

Depsito Legal: A-22-1989

Edicin de: COMPOBELL, S.L. Murcia

Edicin electrnica:

Manuscripts should include an abstract in English of about one hundred words in length. In normalcircumstances, the editors will only consider for publication those contributions written in English andrecorded on disk. Two print-outs of the contribution should also be included. Articles will only be returnedat the authors express wish, if so requested at the time of submission. All correspondence should beaddressed to:

Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses, Departamento de Filologa Inglesa, Universidad de Alicante,P. O. Box 99, E-03080 ALICANTE (Spain)

ADVERTISING: The journal will be pleased to carry advertisements in either full-page (17 x 24 cms.approx.) or half-page (17 x 12 cms. approx.) format. Prices and information are available on request atthe above address

EXCHANGES: The Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses will be happy to make exchangearrangements with similar journals in the same field. All such proposals should be made in writing to theabove ad dress

SUBSCRIPTIONS: The price of subscriptions for FOUR issues of the Revista Alicantina de EstudiosInglesesis as follows: (1) in Spain, 25 for libraries and institutions, and 18 for private subscribers; (2) incountries other than Spain, US $30 for libraries and institutions, and US $25 for private subscribers.

Correspondence on subscriptions should be adressed to:

Marcial Pons LibreroSan Sotero 6

28037 MADRID (Spain)revistas@marcialpons.es

Tel.: +34 913043303Fax: +34 913272367

Estos crditos pertenecen a la edicin impresa de la obra

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Poems by Leonard Cohen (1934-) /Poemas de Leonard Cohen (1934-)

Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles

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Contents

Poems by Leonard Cohen (1934-) /Poemas de Leonard Cohen (1934-). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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Revista Estudios Ingleses 17 (2004)

6CONTENTS

Translated by Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles

University of Alicante

fj.torres@ua.es

De Vamos a comparar mitologas(1956)

AMANTES

Durante el primer pogromse vieron detrs de sus casas

derrudas

dulces mercaderes comerciando: ella,amora cambio de historia en un ramo de

poesas.

Y ante los calientes hornos se lasingeniaron para un beso efmero

From Let Us Compare Mythologies(1956)

LOVERS

During the first pogrom theyMet behind the ruins of their homesSweet merchants trading: her love

For a history-full of poems.

And at the hot ovens theyCunningly managed a brief

Poems by LeonardCohen (1934-) Poemas de LeonardCohen (1934-)

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Poems by Leonard Cohen (1934-) /

Poemas de Leonard Cohen (1934-)

Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles

7CONTENTS

Kiss before the soldier cameTo knock out her golden teeth.

And in the furnace itselfAs the flames flamed higher,He tried to kiss her burning breasts

As she burned in the fire.

Later he often wondered:Was their barter completed?While men around him plundered

And knew he had been cheated.

BALLAD

My lady was found mutilatedin a Mountain Street boarding house.My lady was a tall slender love, like one of Tennysons girls,and you always imagined her erect on

athoroughbred

in someones private forest. But there she was,naked on an old bed, knife slahes

antes de que llegara el soldado para a culatazos

arrancarle a ella sus dientes de oro.

Y dentro del horno mismocuando las llamas en llamaradas

subanel intent besar sus pechos ardientesmientras ella arda en el fuego, arda.

Despus, a menudo l se preguntabasi: los dos haban completado el

trato?mientras hombres a su alrededor

saqueabany saban que se le haba engaado.

ROMANCE

Mi dama... la encontraron mutiladaen una pensin de la calle de la

Montaa.Mi dama era un encanto, alta, esbelta, como una de las muchachas de

Tennyson,y siempre te la imaginabas erguida

a lomos de unpura sangre

en el bosque privado de alguien. Pero all la tenas,desnuda en una cama vieja, cortes decuchillos

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Revista Estudios Ingleses 17 (2004)

8CONTENTS

cross her breasts, legs badly cut up:Dead two days.

They promised me an early conviction.We will eavesdrop on the adolescents examining pocket-book covers in

drugstores.We will note the broadest smiles attorture scenes in movie houses.We will watch the old men in Dominion

Square follow with their eyesthe secretaries from the Sun Life at

five-thirty...

Perhaps the tabloids alarmed him.Whoever he was the young man came

alone to see the frightened blonde have

her blouseripped away by anonymous hands;the person guarded his mouth who saw the poker blacken the

eyesof the Roman prisoner;the old man pretended to wind his

pocket-watch..

The man was never discovered.There are so many cities!

cruzndole los pechos, las piernastodas a tajos:Muerta dos das

Me prometieron que habra pronto unculpable.Espiaremos a los adolescentes que examinan cubiertas de librosde bolsillo en las tiendas de deshoras.Tomaremos nota de las sonrisas msamplias en las escenas de torturas en los cinesVigilaremos a los viejos de la plazadel

Dominio cmo siguen con los ojosa las secretarias del Sun Life a las

cinco y media...

Quiz los periodicuchos le alarmaron.Fuera quien fuera, el joven vino soloa ver cmo a la rubia aterrorizada le

desgarrabantoda la blusa manos annimas;la persona se protegi la boca quien vio el atizador amoratar los

ojosdel prisionero romano;el viejo simulaba dar cuerda a su reloj

de bolsillo..

El individuo nunca fue descubierto.Hay tantas ciudades!

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Poems by Leonard Cohen (1934-) /

Poemas de Leonard Cohen (1934-)

Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles

9CONTENTS

so many knew of my lady and herbeauty.

Perhaps he came from Toronto, a half-crazed man

looking for some Sunday love;or a vicious poet stranded too long in

Winnipeg;

or a Nova Scotian fleeing from therocks and preachers...

Everyone knew my lady from the movies and art-galleries,Body from Goldwyn. Botticelli had

drawn her long limbs.Rosetti the full mouth.Ingres had coloured her skin.

She should not have walked sobravely

through the streets.After all, that was the Marian year, the

yearthe rabbis emerged from their desert

exile, the year

the people were inflamed bytooth-paste ads.

We buried her in Spring-time. The sparrows in the airwept that we should hide with earth the face of one so fair.

tantos que saban de mi dama y de subelleza.Quiz vino de Toronto, un tipo medioloco buscando un amor de domingo;o un poeta malvado atrapado mucho

tiempo en el fro Winnipeg;o uno de Nueva Escocia que hua de

rocas y predicadores...

Todo el mundo conoca a mi dama por las pelculas y las galeras de

arte:el cuerpo, de Goldwyn, sus largosmiembros los dibuj Botticelli,Rosetti, la boca carnosa.

Ingres dio el color a su piel. No tena que haber caminado tan

atrevida por las calles.A fin de cuentas, era el ao mariano,

el aoque los rabinos emergen de su exilio

en el desierto, el aoque la gente estaba inflamada por los

anuncios de pasta de dientes

La enterramos en primavera. Los gorriones en su vuelolloraron de que una cara tan bella la ocultramos bajo el suelo.

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Revista Estudios Ingleses 17 (2004)

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The flowers they were roses and such sweet fragrance gavethat all my friends were lovers and we danced upon her grave.

o-----oOo-----o

From The Spice-Box of Earth(1961)

DEAD SONG

As I lay deadIn my love-soaked bed,

Angels came to kiss my head.

I caught one gown

And wrestled her downTo be my girl in death town.

She will not fly.She has promised to die.What a clever corpse am I!

MY LADY CAN SLEEP

My lady can sleepUpon a handkerchiefOr if it be FallUpon a fallen leaf.

I have seen the huntersKneel before her hem

Las flores, todas rosas, tanta rosa,tanta rosa eran todas tan fragantesque todas mis amigas fueron amantes y bailamos sobre su fosa.

o-----oOo-----o

De El especiero de la Tierra(1961)

CANCIN MUERTA

Cuando yaca de cuerpo presenteen mi cama de amor fluyentengeles vinieron a besar mi frente.

Y yo agarr fuerte un velo

tir, peleando, hacia el suelo:sera mi chica en la ciudad del duelo.

Ella no se echar a volar.Y me ha prometido expirar.Qu listo soy! soy un cadver sin par.

MI DAMA PUEDE DORMIR

Mi dama puede dormiren un paueloo si otoo fueraen una hoja del suelo.

He visto a los cazadoresarrodillarse ante su falda

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Poems by Leonard Cohen (1934-) /

Poemas de Leonard Cohen (1934-)

Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles

11CONTENTS

Even in her sleepShe turns away from them.

The only gift they offerIs their abiding griefI pull out my pocketsFor a handkerchief or leaf.

o-----oOo-----o

From Flowers for Hitler(1964)

OPIUM AND HITLER

Several faithsbid him leapopium and Hitler

let him sleep.

A Negress withan appetitehelped him thinkhe wasnt white.

Opium and Hitler

made him surethe world was glass.There was no cure

for matterdisarmed as this:the state rose ona festered kiss.

pero incluso en su sueoella les da la espalda.

El nico presente que ofrecenes su continuo dueloyo me saco los bolsillosbuscando una hoja o un pauelo.

o-----oOo-----o

De Flores para Hitler(1964)

OPIO Y HITLER

Varias fesle ordenaron saltaropio y Hitler

le hicieron soar.

Una negra conun apetito fueraquien le ayudara a creerque l blanco no era.

Opio y Hitlerle aseguraron de forma seguraque el mundo es cristal.No haba cura

para materiadesarmada como sta:el estado floreci enun beso que se infesta.

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Revista Estudios Ingleses 17 (2004)

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Once a dreamnailed on the skya summer sunwhile it was high.

He wanted ablindfold of skin,he wanted theafternoon to begin.

One law brokennothing held.The world was wax,his to mould.

No! He fumbledfor his history dose.

The sun came loose,his woman close.

Lost in a darknesstheir bodies would reach,the Leader starteda racial speech.

o-----oOo-----o

From Parasites of Heaven (1966)

IN ALMOND TREES LEMON TREES

In almond trees lemon treeswind and sun do as they please

Una vez un sueoclav en el cieloun sol de veranoque estaba en su vuelo.

Para los ojos l querauna venda de piel,que la tarde empezaraquera l.

Una ley quebradanada se sostena.El mundo era cerasuya que l moldeara.

No! su dosis de historiaa tientas busc.

Su mujer, a su lado,el sol se solt.

Perdidos sus cuerpos envueltosen una oscuridad habitual,el Caudillo empezun discurso racial.

o-----oOo-----o

De Parsitos del Cielo(1966)

EN ALMENDROS EN LIMONEROS

En almendros en limonerosviento y sol corren tal que les pilla

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Poems by Leonard Cohen (1934-) /

Poemas de Leonard Cohen (1934-)

Francisco Javier Torres Ribelles

13CONTENTS

Butterflies and laundry flutterMy love her hair is blond as butter

Wasps with yellow whiskers waitfor food beside her china plate

Ants beside her little feetare there to share what she will eat

Who chopped down the bells that saythe world is born again today

We will feed you all my dearsthis morning or in later years.

Mariposas y ropas aletean eltendedero

Mi amor su pelo es rubio demantequilla

Avispas aguardan con sus bigotesamarillos

la comida junto al plato de loza de mimujer

Hormigas junto a sus dos piececillosesperan para compartir lo que va a

comer

Quin tal las campanas que portodos lados

dicen que hoy el mundo nace denuevo! ay, mis falderos

nosotros os mantendremosalimentados

esta maana o en aos venideros.