PRAISE Nicanor Parra.
By Waldemar Verdugo.
Yesterday I had the pleasant visit of Nicanor Parra, who is, I believe, the highest living poet of Chile, and readers also say that the English language. I must confess that I am, especially erudite reader of poetry, but Nicanor Parra taught me someone I think. Did not know him personally, ie had never talked to him, for a few years ago, the Society of Writers in Santiago was given a tribute, which I invited Isabel Velasco, who was then president of the SECH: I and see that his poetry is an overwhelming experience, was lit only by a cut central focus of the shadows, no further assistance their huge presence, then had a private dinner with him, but should go back to the beach and I could not talk. Yesterday's visit was fortuitous poet, he walked with his granddaughter through the cliffs to the sea in front of my home when I discovered it back home, I accompanied the Obama, a small Chilean terrier puppy came to live to the sea the very day of the great election of U.S. President, in whose honor and name with the neighbors, it began to attack the wild dogs that guard the entrance to the inlet of the fishermen on the cliffs, a pack whose leader Lucrecia is female, a mature dog only does this writer bath with shampoo, your children and parents step mestizos acting under the orders of her. Many years ago, every time I leave my home to walk the rocks, immediately Lucrecia appears shrewd and not between me and expressing affection we have for each other: he had never allowed any of his other dog pack near me, with ferocious zeal even with his children exposed to all the little terrier, who came to settle in the cliffs from one day to another, simply showed up and cupped in the dry grass in late summer and before the rain falls asleep at the edge of the high rocks. From my terrace I discovered immediately, because it is unusual a living being can live in outdoors on the banks of these southern seas, but with a bit of dry grass away from water and wind, however it in a couple of days, had taken his home of straw, and other dried seaweed cochayuyos creating a shelter naive. A new day will carry food and water, and that same evening, the pack attacked Obama to withdraw from their domains. My good relationship with Lucrecia pride prevented just kill the little terrier dog that ran to see me leave behind me. Since that day, lives with us after a jewelry work with the female leader to finally accept and with it the whole pack, they now have to Obama as one of them, and even dares to bark while simulating huge leaps biting the ears of Lucretia, her very own walking me to the sea.
"Obama has less than nine months, said the vet examined her teeth" I narrated to Nicanor Parra, who of course immediately invited him to come home, accessing it very gently, laughed heartily with the name of the little white dog Head and tail black, who jammed with him a loving relationship immediately, flew around and doing everything possible to get your attention, said the name was well placed, because both the first black U.S. president as the Chilean terrier mix stray dog \u200b\u200band fine English Fox belongs uniquely unique beings, apart from the establishment. The granddaughter of the poet, charming, commented that my house is like a maze and went to see some twists and turns, as he leaned on the railing of a balcony and watched the horizon, facing the sun at her long silver hair. I watched him silhouetted against the blue sea and the tranquility that emanates man, I would say calmed the waves at this time the waters are wild. Pablo Neruda wrote that of all South American poets, poets extremely terrestrial versatile poetry of Nicanor Parra is known for its unique foliage and strong roots, with a vocation poetry as powerful as it was in Miguel Hernandez, which leads to maturity examinations more difficult, keeping it between the flower and earth, between the night and the sound, but all with feet back from insurance, which marked their footsteps will Southern throughout the thickness of the poetry. For Neruda, his poetry is a delight gold morning or a fruit consumed in darkness. As the poet Nicanor send impregnated leave us fresh or stars. "
Yesterday I felt at home, is a warm man, who received with laughter and surprise some praise, as if not knowing who he is, what it means for contemporary culture, in the end, I think, not always poetry evolves in such a way, and I commented singing colossal size of his work, asking him his granddaughter, surprised: "Did you hear what he said?". The girl laughed and Nicanor had been most welcome. Want to buy a house across from mine and with an exceptional view of these southern seas. He told me he would like to live here, lulled to the edge of the water bouncing off the rocks, perhaps following the old advice that cited John Huston Irish hinting do everything possible to live near the sea end, because it makes the old wounds to stop hurt. The sea lifts the spirit, more rapid the passions of the mind and body, and despite the fleeting of all, here lives a certain tranquility steeped in the soul, with the impression of the grandeur of creation. Nicanor Parra
again today with his daughter Colombina, her beautiful, especially how it could be seen singing on TV, looking calm is immediately caught in a moment said, "you're a star" and the poet thought he was telling him, rectified immediately, "I do, my daughter is a star Columbine." I replied, "She referred me, respected Nicanor, you're not a star. You are an immortal, and gave the phone numbers I got for him from the owners of the house neighbor told me yesterday that you wish to purchase, it was happy and laughing at my recommendations to negotiate as God intended. I write now the rationale for these lines, when I saw something that previously only intuited. Following a recommendation I received a twenty year old Borges, I had never really in a hurry to publish, just busy writing to make it better, others are engaged in advertising. Of course, during these many years, one sometimes wonders if perhaps the art imposed itself terminates without the artist doing the least to sell it. O is lost. That is, is it possible that there is labor lost, beyond human occupation whatever, if performed with faith? Cuban actress Ninon Sevilla, one night at his home in Mexico City, where he was Juan Jose Arreola, the matter said, "Look millet, which is not seen darling darling that is worshiped." And Arreola agreed, adding that even God needs to be warned bells. It turns out that Lao Tzse also says that one should not look for anything in life, just do things as if they were not made because the raven did not need their wings are painted black because they are naturally that color. Today, Nicanor Parra told me the other day, knocked on his door, and he appears Carmen Balcells, interested in representing your work to take its place in points corresponds to putting sus libros al alcance de todos, a él que nunca ha buscado nada en la vida, según me dijo, ¿no es para pensar que el trabajo nunca se pierde, que lo único está en el intento de crearlo bien, nada más? Es cierto que no es necesario bañar cada día las alas del cisne porque un cisne es naturalmente blanco.
Con Carmen Balcells cené una noche en la Ciudad de México, hace varios años: era una mesa redonda y yo no conocía a nadie: resultó que me habló, una hora antes de la cena, José Luis Ramírez Cota, mi editor y un buen amigo, indicándome que me presentaría a Carmen. Yo estaba trabajando en Vogue, deduciendo que era imposible tener tiempo para a ir a mi departamento a cambiarme, when I enter the fashion editor followed by his team, carrying men's clothes, the way to study in the journal. It was a collection of Pierre Cardin was to be photographed the next day, which was a dull blue silk taken with his shirt, tie, socks and shoes that were painted ... on behalf of all crosses promised to return the taken exactly the same. Before leaving, my secretary then, an angel benefactor, put it in my pocket a lucky roll of disposable paper with the indication that if you stain the suit cleaned immediately to avoid being noticed. On reaching the place, sitting next to Carmen Balcells, which is a very simple woman, said she had no time at all mouthful day one, to what is quick to serve appetizers, highlighting some small bits of English chorizo, sausage, pork, sobrasada ... that did not stop surprising to see the textures only for wanting to test their flavors, I saw Carmen, without more, taking his hand a piece that immediately tasted it, flipped, meanwhile, did not reach the forks or napkins, until a moment we see remarkably oily fingers, raising my expectations of not only stain Cardin borrowed should be returned intact, funny situation for me given the fact that I narrated in two words to her while I was engaged to procure for them, openly, bits Disposable paper, minimizing tedious waiting to cover our lack of eating with bare hands, before the danger of seeing the rich English appetizers suffering the risk of cool in pans. No one else dared to eat with their hands, while Jose Luis Ramirez pure laughed heartily. We connect to shooting Carmen, since we saw: was that when I arrived at the restaurant that night did not see anyone, and went to reception to ask the place where dinner would be held, but along with me back, I see it come to it alone, then I realized that was an entourage, however, went to find her, and said: "Carmen Balcells exist! I thought you were a myth. " He laughed out loud, while waving to the Chilean way, kiss and hug, she responded warmly. At the moment, José Luis introduced us, she took my arm and went to sit at the round table. There were about ten people, including famous Mexican writers and English writers who then resided in the Federal District. I just dedicated myself to listen and appreciate the English dinner, with flavors of agave tequila together are a delight to the palate unrivaled. Before you finish eating, Carmen took from his wallet a small camera and, standing, I took several photos, some with Beatrice Trueblood, who was located at my other side on the table, then put away his camera and no more sat back down and continue eating dinner, is it something invaluable: a sense of humor. Carmen told me he wanted to publish my book in Spain about the old Borges, that would be fine with a note from Maria Kodama, who I asked to speak, something I've never done. Some time ago through a mutual friend Kodama I sent my book "Men of America" \u200b\u200bthat included a line about her husband, she replied with a beautiful gift: a series of lithographs inspired by the poem The Gaucho, the same master Borges. I wrote saying that once the visit in Buenos Aires, but the fact is that after so many years living outside my country, the least you want is out, charmed as I am about everything. Living things drunk here, I think. Now when I think about it anymore that this is about to play their best, that everything has its place and time for here on Earth, when I find sufficient evidence that the most powerful literary agent on the planet can well come to knock on doors of an old poet in a lost place in the South Seas, as before stopped to photograph a young Chilean writer in Mexico City, as now, was only devoted to profession of write to one day reach dignity that gives practice and time, what I've seen in Nicanor Parra, who does not need to prove anything to anyone, now that his readers believe it has more than deserved the Nobel Prize for literature, something he has it without the slightest care. Chilean writer
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