Aquiles Nazoa translated by Ariel Riveros Pavez
Aquiles Nazoa (born in Caracas 17 May 1920 – 26 April 1976) was a Venezuelan writer, journalist, poet and satirist. His work expressed the values of popular Venezuelan culture though in 1940 he was arrested for defamation and criticism of the municipal government. In 1948, Nazoa obtained the Premio Nacional de Periodismo (National Journalism Prize) in the humour and customs section. He was also awarded the Premio Municipal de Literatura del Distrito Federal (Municipal Prize for Literature of the Federal District) in 1967. He wrote for the Colombian magazine, Sábado and lived in Cuba. He was expelled by the Jiménez regime in 1956 for two years. His poems have been reproduced as lyrics by musical artists throughout Latin America from the 1970s to this day.
Rezo el Credo o Credo de Aquiles Nazóa
El Mayordomo y El Gato Recientemente falleció en Montana una viejecita norteamericana que, en calidad de único heredero le dejó a un mayordomo su dinero. Mas la anciana del caso que relato dejó también un gato que ha venido a plantearle al mayordomo un problema, lector, de tomo y lomo, ya que en el testamento hay un mandato que le impide aunque llegue a la indigencia, disponer ni una puya de la herencia hasta que no se muera dicho gato. Me diréis: - ¿Y por qué ese mayordomo no se arma de una estaca o de un zapato y acaba de una vez con ese gato que debe de caerle como un plomo? Ah, porque la viejecita, en previsión de que ocurrir pudiera cosa tal aclaró al imponer su condición que del gato en cuestión la defunción debe ser natural, y si no muere así, tampoco hay real. Lo que le queda, pues, al mayordomo ante este caso, es conservar su aplomo, con paciencia llevar su dura cruz y esperar que se muera el micifuz. y como el gato tiene siete vidas, ¡esas puyas, lector, están perdidas! | The Credo according to Aquiles Nazoa
The Butler and The Cat An old American lady passed away recently in Montana and made the butler her sole inheritor Furthermore, the old woman in this case also left a cat that caused contention my learned friend, of books and spines, because there was a clause in the will that put pause to any pay even on pains of penury ‘til said cat died And may well you ask: why wouldn’t the butler take hold of a stake or shoe and finish off said cat which must be gnawing at him by now? Oh, it’s because the grand old dame foresaw that such a thing could happen and clearly imposed this condition that the cat in question should die of natural cause and if this did not occur, there would be no recourse So what’s left in this case is that the butler should keep calm and composed bare his heavy cross and wait for the furball to croak but as a cat has nine lives my learned friend, to all those bucks you might as well say goodbye. |
Ariel Riveros Pavez is a Sydney-based creative writer, publisher and poetry translator. He also writes on experience-dependant Neuroplasticity. Ariel was convener of The Blue Space! Poetry Jam and is founding editor of Australian Latino Press. His work has appeared in various publications including Arena Magazine, Journal of Postcolonial Text, Southerly and Verity La.