poema

in the scurry of databases impatiently awaiting my analysis and carpal muscles screaming after banging at a computer all day, a moment of repose, con un poema:

cuando me vuelvo atrás a ver los años
que han nevado la edad florida mía,
cuando miro las redes, los engaños
donde me vi algún día,
más me alegro de verme fuera dellos
que un tiempo me pesó padecellos.


when i turn back to look at the years
that have dropped snow on the flowers of my youth,
when i look at the nets
the deceits where i once found myself
my joy at seeing myself free of them is greater
than the suffering they formerly caused me.


-francisco de quevedo, salmo IX

* * *

i don't understand why "poema" is masculine in spanish.

"la mano" (the hand) is understandable.
"el problema" (the problem) makes enough sense :]

but of all the gender-discordant spanish words, this one strikes the strangest chord in me.

ah well. anyway after four years of studying the language and one year in ba, at long last, i believe i can finally speak some semblance of spanish.

hooray !


now. if only i could speak english again.