The Roof of the Whale Poems

Juan Calzadilla is one of Venezuela's most celebrated poets, painters, and art critics. He is the author of more than twenty books of poetry and a recipient of Venezuela's National Prize for the Visual Arts. His work, across both mediums, is characterized by political consciousness and formal innovation. Katherine M. Hedeen has translated some of the most respected Latin American poets into English and has been a finalist for both the Best Translated Book Award and the National Translation Award. She serves as managing editor for Action Books and is a professor of Spanish at Kenyon College. Olivia Lott's translations have received recognitions from the Academy of American Poets, PEN America, and Words Without Borders. She is a visiting assistant professor of Spanish at Washington and Lee University.

Foreword by VIctor RodrIguez NUNez Introduction by Katherine M. Hedeen and Olivia Lott Dictado por la jaurIa / Dictated by the Pack (1962) DICTADO POR LA JAURIA / DICTATED BY THE PACK vivo a diario / i live day by day funcionario que celebra un ritual / a civil servant celebrates a ritual escorpiOn / scorpion vecindad del buitre / vulture neighborhood esperando salvaciOn / waiting for salvation gracias al barniz / thanks to the varnish mingitorio / urinal una sala de juego / a cardroom me reconozco / i see me los mEtodos necesarios / the necessary methods he sido otro / i have been another golpeando el abismo / hitting the abyss CON MALOS MODALES / WITH BAD MANNERS con malos modales / with bad manners cuarzo / quartz el magma debe retornar / the magma must return en memoria del Angel / in memory of the angel los horizontes son nuestros brazos / the horizons are our arms EL INVISIBLE SALE DE LA CASA / THE INVISIBLE MAN LEAVES THE HOUSE "una vez que se toma el sombrero. . ." / "once a hat's been picked up. . ." DESCENDIENTE DE AHAB / DESCENDENT OF AHAB "para un pUblico enfermo. . ." / "for a sick public. . ." fin del acto / end of the act el doble hace su entrada / the double enters the scene mi vocaciOn de actor / my vocation as an actor la venganza / revenge poste / post escalOn / step cadena sola / single chain cuento / story un hilo sobre el abismo / a thread above the abyss sOlo comer es una empresa / only eating is a business me levanto / i get up jonAs siempre / always jonah Malos modales / Bad Manners (1965) "Ciudadano libre a un palmo por encima. . ." / "Free citizen just an inch above. . ." CONTANDO HASTA CERO / COUNTING TO ZERO Contando hasta cero / Counting to Zero "Mis decisiones se encuentran demasiado cerca. . ." / "My decisions are too close. . ." "Despierto Sigo vivo por ese solo instante. . ." / "Awake I am still alive for that one moment. . ." "Todas mis preocupaciones son el hilo de donde cuelgo. . ." / "All my worries are the thread I hang from. . ." Las armas invisibles / The Invisible Arms Hago un alto / I Take a Break S u b s i s t o / I S u b s i s t Requisitoria de los trajes vacIos / Interrogation of the Empty Suits RELEVO DE GUARDIA / CHANGING OF THE GUARD Relevo de guardia / Changing of the Guard Paisajes subterrAneos / Subterranean Landscapes Bajo nuevo aviso / Under New Notice Ciudad sola / Lonely City Una coincidencia / A coincidence "Los espectAculos banales. . ." / "Banal spectacles. . ." CACERIA / HUNT "Me llevan como una bestia domEstica. . ." / "Like a tamed beast. . ." El prisionero de su conciencia / The Prisoner of His Conscience Orbitas separadas / Separate Orbits "Si he avanzado hacia adelante. . ." / "If I have made any progress. . ." Debo decir / I Should Say De transformaciones / On Transformations "Demandas clemencia. . ." / "You demand clemency. . ." Las contradicciones sobrenaturales / The Supernatural Contradictions (1967) RELEVO DE GUARDIA / CHANGING OF THE GUARD Decisiones / Decisions Corona de reyes / Crown of Kings Ases / Aces LegItima defensa / Legitimate Defense Tomas el pavimiento por la forma exacta de tu piel / You Take Pavement as the Precise Shape of Your Skin Las apuestas / The Wagers Arco de silex / Arc of Silex SISTEMA DE CONDUCTA / BEHAVIOR SYSTEM Por partida doble / Double Entry Jaula para occisos / Cage for the Slain Bestia I Bestia II Bestia III / Beast I Beast II Beast III "Suelo tomar extraNas determinaciones. . ." / "I tend to make strange determinations. . ." Otra direcciOn / A Different Direction Ordenes / Orders Imagen humeante / Smoking Image CARNET DE ENUMERACIONES / ENUMERATIONS CARD MAscara de papel / Paper Mask Cubrir la duda con un mantel de fiesta / To Cover Doubt with a Fancy Tablecloth Cuidado frAgil / Warning Fragile "La mirada quiere claraboyas. . ." / "The glance wants skylights. . ." Fuerza bruta / Brute Force "Salud. . ." / "To your health. . ." "La contrariedad nacida. . ." / "The opposition born. . ." ABISMO PUBLICO / PUBLIC ABYSS HAbitos / Habit Dentro de la roca vacIa / Inside the Empty Rock De los reos / On Prisoners Setencia / Sentence Mandamiento / Commandment C14 / C14 UN OJO DE CONTRAPESO / AN EYE AS COUNTERWEIGHT Piedra sobre piedra / Stone upon Stone "Sumiso" / "Submissive" "De una caja de asfOdelos empujada contra la corriente. . ." / "From a box of asphodels pushed against the current. . ." "Pon atenciOn Date cuenta ConcEntrate. . ." / "Pay attention Realize Focus. . ." La quinta parte del espIritu es el deseo de huir / The Fifth Part of the Spirit Is the Desire to Flee "Entre jaulas de occisos. . ." / "Among cages of the slain. . ." Appendix: An Interview with Juan Calzadilla by VIctor RodrIguez NUNez, translated by Katherine M. Hedeen and Olivia Lott Acknowledgments

"Calzadilla addressed his poems to a specific audience during a momentous time; and yet his poems feel as though they were written last week precisely for us. Unvarnished, unimproved, shamanistic, his poems exude a raw, tumultuous energy that legendary translator Katherine Hedeen and her savvy co-translator Olivia Lott catch every drop of. But be careful, reader. Don't start this book at night; you not only won't sleep a wink, but you may find yourself far from home-as far as the Caracas of your imagination-rushing through ill-lit streets in a frenzy."-Forrest Gander