¿Sabes cuánto ocupa el hemisferio?

Spanish31 líneas1 análisis públicos
Original Poetry
Translation
¿Sabes cuánto ocupa el hemisferio?
Do you know how much the hemisphere occupies?
¿Y la verdad absoluta?
And the absolute truth?
¿Has terminado de medir
Have you finished measuring
el ancho de mi pecho?
the width of my chest?
Le he clavado mis agujas
I have driven my needles in
y no ha aprendido a rechistar.
and it has not learned to protest.
¿Puedes medir el vacío
Can you measure the void
que llena esta sala?
that fills this room?
¿Y los hilos que cosen el suelo?
And the threads that sew the floor?
Son cuatro pies,
They are four feet,
por ancho por altura.
by width and height.
Aquí dentro solo se puede susurrar.
In here, one can only whisper.
Si quiere que lo ame,
If you want me to love you,
tendré que hacerlo en silencio.
I will have to do it in silence.
La máquina del patio
The machine in the yard
grita cuando la pisan.
screams when stepped on.
Como si estuviera pidiendo socorro.
As if it were asking for help.
Como si solo quisiera un beso.
As if it only wanted a kiss.
Y la siguen pisando.
And they keep stepping on it.
Así se cosen las camisetas.
This is how t-shirts are sewn.
¡Eso es!
That's it!
Son setenta y seis centímetros,
They are seventy-six centimeters,
y siete metros de tela blanca
and seven meters of white fabric
para coser la cola de un vestido.
to sew the tail of a dress.
Todavía puedo besarle
I can still kiss him
pero no me prometo
but I do not promise myself
que sea rápido,
that it will be quick,
que suene bajito...
that it will sound softly...
Tenemos el tiempo justo
We have just enough time
hasta clavar la siguiente aguja,
until we drive in the next needle,
hasta que termine de medir el suelo.
until I finish measuring the floor.
 

Explanation

This poem intricately weaves themes of measurement and silence, exploring the emotional landscape of love and existence. The opening lines, "¿Sabes cuánto ocupa el hemisferio?" and "¿Y la verdad absoluta?" pose existential questions about the nature of reality and truth, setting a contemplative tone. The speaker's inquiry into the physical dimensions of their chest suggests a longing for intimacy, as they ponder the emotional weight of their experiences.

As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on the act of sewing, using metaphors like "Le he clavado mis agujas" to illustrate the pain and permanence of their emotional investments. The imagery of measuring the void and the threads that sew the floor evokes a sense of confinement, as the speaker expresses a desire for love that must be whispered, indicating a struggle between longing and the constraints of their environment.

The emotional arc shifts as the speaker confronts the noise of the machine, which "grita cuando la pisan"—a metaphor for the cries of unacknowledged pain. This juxtaposition of the machine's scream with the desire for a soft kiss highlights the tension between harsh realities and tender moments. The poem culminates in a practical reflection on fabric measurements, yet the underlying emotional resonance remains potent, suggesting that even mundane tasks are imbued with deeper significance.

Crafted in free verse, the poem employs enjambment and vivid imagery to create a rhythm that mirrors the speaker's internal conflict. The use of silence as a motif emphasizes the need for quietude in expressing love, while the recurring theme of measurement serves as a metaphor for the speaker's quest for understanding and connection. Ultimately, the poem speaks to the complexities of love, existence, and the human experience, resonating with contemporary themes in Spanish poetry.

Word Dictionary109

WordIn SpanishIn EnglishPron.
¿SabesDo you knowAre you aware¿Sabes
cuántohow muchthe amountcuánto
ocupaoccupiestakes up spaceocupa
elthethe definite articleel
hemisferio?hemisphere?half of a sphere?hemisferio?
¿YAndAlso¿Y
lathethe definite articlela
verdadtruthfact or realityverdad
absoluta?absolute?unquestionable?absoluta?
¿HasHave youDid you¿Has
terminadofinishedcompletedterminado
deofbelonging tode
medirmeasureassess sizemedir
anchowidthextent from side to sideancho
mimybelonging to memi
pecho?chest?front part of the body?pecho?
LeIto him/herLe
hehaveauxiliary verbhe
clavadodriven instuck inclavado
mismybelonging to memis
agujasneedlessharp tools for sewingagujas
yandas well asy
nonotnegationno
hahasauxiliary verbha
aprendidolearnedgained knowledgeaprendido
atotowardsa
rechistar.protest.object or complain.rechistar.
¿PuedesCan youAre you able to¿Puedes
vacíovoidemptinessvacío
quethatwhichque
llenafillsoccupies spacellena
estathisthe one hereesta
sala?room?enclosed space?sala?
losthethe definite article (plural)los
hilosthreadsstrands of fabrichilos
cosenare sewn.are stitched together.cosen
suelo?floor?ground?suelo?
SonThey areThey exist asSon
cuatrofourthe number 4cuatro
pies,feet,units of measurement,pies,
porbythroughpor
altura.height.vertical measurement.altura.
AquíHereIn this placeAquí
dentroinsidewithindentro
soloonlyexclusivelysolo
seonepeople in generalse
puedecanis able topuede
susurrar.whisper.speak softly.susurrar.
SiIfIn caseSi
quierewantsdesiresquiere
lohimreferring to a malelo
ame,love,have affection for,ame,
tendréI will haveI will needtendré
hacerlodo itperform the actionhacerlo
enininsideen
silencio.silence.quietness.silencio.
LaThethe definite articleLa
máquinamachinemechanical devicemáquina
delof thebelonging to thedel
patioyardoutdoor areapatio
gritascreamsshouts loudlygrita
cuandowhenat the time thatcuando
pisan.step on.tread upon.pisan.
ComoAsIn the manner ofComo
siifin casesi
estuvierawerewas in a state ofestuviera
pidiendoasking forrequestingpidiendo
socorro.help.assistance.socorro.
quisierawanteddesiredquisiera
unaoneun
beso.kiss.a touch of lips.beso.
YAndAlsoY
siguenthey keepthey continuesiguen
pisando.stepping on.treading upon.pisando.
AsíThis is howIn this mannerAsí
lasthethe definite article (plural)las
camisetas.t-shirts.casual shirts.camisetas.
¡EsoThat'sThat is¡Eso
es!it is!this is!es!
setentaseventythe number 70setenta
seissixthe number 6seis
centímetros,centimeters,units of length,centímetros,
sieteseventhe number 7siete
metrosmetersunits of lengthmetros
telafabricmaterial for sewingtela
blancawhitecolor without hueblanca
paratoin order topara
cosersewjoin with stitchescoser
colatailthe end partcola
vestido.dress.garment for women.vestido.
TodavíaStillYetTodavía
puedoI canI am able topuedo
besarleskiss themgive them a kissbesarles
perobuthoweverpero
memyselfto meme
prometopromisecommit toprometo
seait isbesea
rápido,quick,fast,rápido,
suenesoundsmakes a noisesuene
bajito...softly...quietly...bajito...
TenemosWe haveWe possessTenemos
tiempotimeperiodtiempo
justojustexactlyjusto
hastauntilup tohasta
clavardrive ininsert firmlyclavar
siguientenextfollowingsiguiente
aguja,needle,sharp tool for sewing,aguja,
terminefinishcompletetermine
suelo.floor.ground.suelo.

Poet & Context

Poet—
EraContemporary

The poet remains anonymous, but the poem reflects contemporary themes in Spanish poetry, focusing on personal and existential questions.

View on Wikipedia
WhenContemporary period, likely in the late 20th or early 21st century.
WhyThe poem explores themes of measurement, silence, and the emotional weight of love and existence.
FormFree verse

Themes & More

measurementsilenceexistential inquirylove
metaphor: the sewing imagery represents emotional connections and the act of loveenjambment: creates a flowing rhythm that mirrors the speaker's contemplative thoughts
¿Sabes cuánto ocupa el hemisferio? de Poeta desconocido — Análisis IA del poema