Home
>
Poetry
>
Lima, City with the Stretched out Wings [In English and Spanish]

Lima, City with the Stretched out Wings [In English and Spanish]

Lima,
City with the Stretched out Wings

It's an ink-black night: no stars: a moon in sight

Just dots of: red, green and white-white lights

As the plane descends, descends, slides down
On the long-drawn-out-spun-out lingering city of lights
Uneven as a crumbled cake, lit up like a Christmas tree-

The sleepless city, with its stretched out wings

Stretching from the mountains to the sea-
Winding through the valley's, forests, and streams
Stretches, stretches its naked wings-endlessly

As,

I'm descending, down, over and around the city
(descending, descending, and sliding to the ground)

The city with stretched out wings-and endless lights
Down, behind, around, the ground, it's immune to me
I'm just part of its evening, a baptism in its inky sea

Invisible people: cats, dogs, birds, and rats-infinite

Uncountable: dots; streams of lit dots, dot-lights;
People: walking, talking, sleeping, eating by the dots
People: waiting, killing, robbing, praying, by the dots

For tomorrow, tomorrow and another tomorrow

They say-:

you are ruthless, and I know this to be true

And they tell me you have thieves and murders-

And this, I dare say-but shall-is also true, very true
But show me a city to the contrary of eight-million-?
I shake my fist and say: '?show me! But no one does'

So alive, so brave, with strong and hungry hearts;

I say, show me one that sings in poverty and smiles
Prove me one that celebrates year-round of its heroes
Show me painters that are as good-that sell on streets-

As good as: Picasso, Dali, Rembrandt, and Yang Yang

And that welcomes the world with stretched out arms-

Show me all this, or some of this, and I will say no more

With this,

I descend to its streets, its crowed winding streets

As well as, to its neighborhoods with dust and soiled air,
And hear the laughs of the children; the dogs on roofs
Sights of the shoe-shiners: men and boys, in the parks

And the numerous food carts; -- musicians, paper sellers

And with its naked featherless wings, covering all

-My Lima, Peru with its renowned Cathedral:

Golden yellow with towering crowns, and

Within its plaza-square, a water fountain-celebrated.

Under its sins, with its wrinkled aged men, lovely women,

They all stand tall and bow to its Inca history, its glory-
Its world that once ruled all, like the Roman Empire,

Like the American Dream, they were the noble, the kings

And now, from drudgery and toil, sweat and strive, all, all Grinding, grinding away, each and everyday, lover of the, King of Kings: Jesus Christ-this is the Lima I know today; a mighty ship that has already sailed the seven seas, now resting!?

Spanish Version

Lima,
La ciudad con las alas extendidas
Translated by Rosa Pe?aloza

Esta es una noche oscura: no estrellas, ni luna a la vista

Solo puntos: rojo, verde y blanco?luces blancas

Mientras que el avi?n desciende, desciende, bajando
A la larga-extendida-plana persistente ciudad de luces
Plana como un panqueque, encendida como un ?rbol de navidad-

La despierta ciudad, con sus alas extendidas

Extendidas desde las monta?as hacia el oc?ano
Zigzagueante a trav?s de los valles, bosques y riachuelos
Estirando, estirando sus alas desnudas-interminables

Mientras,

Voy descendiendo, abajo, por encima y alrededor de la ciudad
(Descendiendo, descendiendo, y desliz?ndose a la tierra)

La ciudad con las alas extendidas-y luces interminables
Abajo, Abajo, detr?s, alrededor, la tierra, es inmune a m?
S?lo soy parte de esta noche, un bautizado en su oscuro oc?ano

Invisible: gente, gatos, perros, p?jaros, y ratas, infinidad

Incontables: puntos, riachuelos de luz, puntos de luz;
Gente: caminando, conversando, durmiendo, comiendo bajo los puntos de luz
Gente: esperando, matando, robando, rezando bajo los puntos de luz

Por ma?ana, ma?ana y otro ma?ana

Ellos dicen--:

Tu eres implacable, y yo se que esto es verdad

Y ellos me dicen t? tienes ladrones, y muertes-

Y esto, me atrevo a decir, que esto tambi?n es cierto, muy cierto

Pero mu?strame una ciudad de ocho millones contraria --?
Sacudo mis pu?os y digo: "?mu?strame," pero nadie lo hace

Tan viva, tan valerosa, con corazones fuertes y hambrientos:

Digo, mu?strame una que canta en pobreza, y sonr?e
Pru?bame una como esa, que celebra alrededor del a?o a sus h?roes
Mu?strame pintores tan buenos-que venden en las calles-

Tan buenos como: Picasso, Dali, Rembrant y Yang Yang

Y que recibe al mundo con extendidos brazos

Mu?strame todo esto, o algo de esto, y no dir? mas

Con esto,

Desciendo a sus calles, atiborrada, zigzagueantes calles

As? como su raro vecindario con polvo en el aire
Y oigo la risa de los ni?os, los perros en los techos
Vista de los lustrabotas, hombres y muchachos, en los parques

Y los numerosos carros de comida, m?sicos y vendedores de peri?dicos

Y con su desnuda y desplumadas alas, cubriendo todo

-Mi Lima, Per?, con su renombrada catedral:

Amarilla dorada con su coronadas torres, y

Dentro de su plaza cuadrada, una celebrada pileta

Bajo su piel, con sus arrugados ancianos, tiernas mujeres,

Todos ellos parados altos, y reverenciando a su historia inca, su
gloria-
Su mundo que una vez gobern? todo, como el Imperio Romano

Como el sue?o de Am?rica, ellos fueron los nobles, los reyes

Y ahora de pesadez, y esfuerzo, sudor, lucha, todos, todos extenuados, fatigados, este y cada d?a, amantes del Rey de los Reyes: Jesucristo-esta es la Lima que conozco, hoy; un poderoso barco que ya naveg? los siete mares, ahora descansando?

Author/Poet Dennis Siluk, web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

recurring cleaning service Wilmette ..

In The News:

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.

Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.

Major data breach at Conduent exposes personal information of 10+ million people. Government contractor hit by cyberattack affecting Medicaid, child support systems.

Texas startup Janta Power raises $5.5M for innovative vertical solar towers that generate 50% more energy than traditional panels while using just one-third the land.

Lima, City with the Stretched out Wings [In English and Spanish]

Poetry