Judith Teixeira: "Podes Ter os Amores que Quiseres…"

Here's another poem by Judith Teixeira. I find it somewhat sad, especially knowing that Teixeira probably wrote this about a woman she loved who could or would not return that love publicly, but the poem's sadness is outweighed by its determination—their love remains despite one of them renouncing it. Or perhaps that's wishful thinking on the poet's part; perhaps her beloved will, after all, move on to other people as suggested, but not retain that aching, coal-red love. Maybe this poem was written with that possibility in mind, as a sort of verbal talisman to ward off such an occurrence. I don't know enough Judith Teixeira to say.

DAS

 

"Podes Ter os Amores que Quiseres…"
Judith Teixeira

Podes dizer que me não amas,
sim, podes dizê-lo,
e o mundo acreditar,
porque só eu saberei
que mentes!

Eu estou na tua alma
como a flama
que devora sob a cinza
as brasas dormentes...
   
Não creias no remorso
- o remorso não existe!
O que tu sentes
e o que em ti subsiste,
são o rubor da minha ternura
e a chama do meu amor
que em ti
nunca foram ausentes!...

Não julgues, não, que me esqueceste,
porque mentes a ti mesmo
se o disseres…
Podes ter os amores que quiseres,
que o teu amor por mim,
como uma dor latente e compungida,
há-de acompanhar sempre
a tua e a minha vida!

-----


"You Can Have the Lovers You Want..."
Judith Teixeira

You can say you don't love me,
yes, you can say it,
and the world will believe it,
because only I will know
you're lying!

I'm in your soul
like the flame
that devours the dormant coals
under the ashes...

Don't believe in remorse
— remorse doesn't exist!
What you feel
and what remains in you,
is the flush of my affection
and the flame of my love
which never left
you!...

No, don't think you've forgotten me, no,
because you're lying to yourself
if you say as much...
You can have the lovers you want,
since your love for me,
like a latent, throbbing pain,
will forever be part of
your life and mine!