En medio de la tierra apartaré
las esmeraldas para divisarte
y tú estarás copiando las espigas
con una pluma de agua mensajera.
Qué mundo! Qué profundo perejil!
Qué nave navegando en la dulzura!
Y tú tal vez y yo tal vez topacio!
Ya no habrá división en las campanas.
Ya no habrá sino todo el aire libre,
las manzanas llevadas por el viento,
el suculento libro en la enramada,
y allí donde respiran los claveles
fundaremos un traje que resista
la eternidad de un beso victorioso.
Translation to English
In the middle of the earth I will separate
the emeralds to see you
and you will be copying the ears
with a feather of messenger water.
What a world! What deep parsley!
What a ship sailing in sweetness!
And you maybe and I maybe topaz!
There will no longer be division in the bells.
There will no longer be anything but all the open air,
the apples carried by the wind,
the succulent book in the bower,
and there where the carnations breathe
we will found a suit that resists
the eternity of a victorious kiss.
The Power of Love and Nature in “Cien Sonetos de Amor”
Gabriel García Márquez is a renowned Colombian writer and author of the world-famous novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude”. However, Márquez’s writing transcends the realm of magical realism and delves into other themes as well, such as the power of love and nature. “Cien Sonetos de Amor” (One Hundred Love Sonnets) is a collection of poems that showcases this theme.
In Soneto C, Márquez paints a vivid picture of a deep and all-encompassing love. The speaker describes separating the earth to find emeralds that symbolize their beloved, all while their lover gathers wheat with a feather made of water. This imagery portrays a union of nature and love – two powerful forces that, when combined, form an unbreakable bond.
The speaker goes on to exclaim the beauty of this world and the profound impact their love has on it. The use of ‘perejil’ (parsley) and ‘topacio’ (topaz) signifies the freshness and richness of their love, while also highlighting the simplicity and purity of nature. There is a sense of wonder and awe as the speaker envisions themselves and their lover floating freely in an endless sea of love and beauty.
The poem then shifts its focus to the future – a time when there will be no divisions or barriers. The use of ‘campanas’ (bells) signifies the end of conflicts and the unification of all. Their love will encompass everything - the fresh air, the wind-carried apples, the juicy book on the branches of trees, and even the flowers that breathe. In this world, their love will be immortal and powerful, symbolized by the image of a dress that can resist eternity with a victorious kiss.
Thus, Soneto C represents the immense power of love, both in its purest form and in its unity with nature. Márquez’s use of nature as a metaphor for love emphasizes the unbreakable bond between the lovers and the lasting impact of their love on the world. Ultimately, this poem celebrates the eternal and all-encompassing nature of love – a force that transcends time and space, as portrayed by García Márquez in Soneto C.
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