Antonio Machado

Here is a poem for you to contemplate by Antonio Machado (July 26, 1875 – February 22, 1939), Spanish poet and one of the leading figures of the Spanish literary movement known as the Generation of '98.

His work, initially modernist, evolved towards an intimate form of symbolism with romantic traits

If I Were A Poet

If I were a poet
of love, I would make
a poem for your eyes as clear
as the transparent water in the marble pool

And in my water poem
this is what I would say:

“I know your eyes do not answer mine,
they look and do  not question when they look:
your clear eyes, your eyes have
the calm and good light,
the good light of the blossoming world, that I saw
one day from the arms of my mother.”

--Antonio Machado

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Si Yo Fuera Un Poeta

Si yo fuera un poeta 
galante, cantaría 
a vuestros ojos un cantar tan puro 
como en el mármol blanco el agua limpia.

Y en una estrofa de agua 
todo el cantar sería:

«Ya sé que no responden a mis ojos, 
que ven y no preguntan cuando miran, 
los vuestros claros, vuestros ojos tienen 
la buena luz tranquila, 
la buena luz del mundo en flor, que he visto 
desde los brazos de mi madre un día».

--Antonio Machado