Poetry is meant to be shared

Our annual Luna Nueva festival wouldn't be the same if we didn't have our open mic nights for poets! Enjoy works of poetry by Latino poets — from both the canons of literary giants such as Pablo Neruda and Federico García Lorca as well as original work by local authors.  Audiences are invited to also bring their own Latino poetry to share in English or Spanish.


“Noche de los poetas”
Poets Open Mic Nights
7 p.m. • Tuesday, Sept. 18 and 25, 2012 • Free • Bilingual
Presented in collaboration with Write Around Portland (Sept. 18) and Wordstock (Sept. 25)


To get the creative juices flowing, here is one poem from Jorge Isaacs Ferrer (April 1, 1837–April 17, 1895), a Colombian writer, politician and soldier. He is well known for his novel, María, which became one of the most notable works of the Romantic Movement in Spanish literature.

LAS HADAS

Soñé vagar por bosques de palmeras
cuyos blondos plumajes, al hundir
su disco el Sol en las lejanas sierras,
cruzaban resplandores de rubí.

Del terso lago se tiñó de rosa
la superficie límpida y azul,
y a sus orillas garzas y palomas
posábanse en los sauces y bambús.

Muda la tarde ante la noche muda
las gasas de su manto recogió;
del indo mar dormido en las espumas
la luna hallóla y a sus pies el sol.

Ven conmigo a vagar bajo las selvas
donde las Hadas templan mi laúd;
ellas me han dicho que conmigo sueñas,
que me harán inmortal si me amas tú.