Today’s prompt is to find a poem in a language you don’t know. Now, read the poem to yourself, thinking about the sound and shape of the words, and the degree to which they remind you of words in your own language. Use those correspondences as the basis for a new poem.
The poem I chose was one by Pablo Neruda, https://www.poetryinternational.com/en/poets-poems/poems/poem/103-22620_POEM-XV and here’s what I wrote:
Before you pick another weapon,
take my arms instead,
in the hubris of your lies
spare the children, I bled
on your sharpened swords
molten words turning hope to shreds,
amid the rock and stones you throw
throw your souls instead.
This anger is nothing new
it travels great distances
calls from beyond the grave
echoes in my silences.
Our simple lamps burn soft, lamps
of oil mixed with skin and flesh
the stars too burn with us
not outdone by your excesses.
So take your greed your ashanti
your hubris along with your curses
we have had quite enough
of your Byzantine verses.
Before you pick another weapon
take my arms instead
Spare the children, spare this earth
take my soul instead.
ipsita banerjee 
Thanks to your choice of Naruda, I ended up reading two fabulous poems – his and yours. I enjoyed reading them both.
And in true Naruda style, your line– ‘save the children, save the earth’ could be the slogan of our times.
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Thanks ever so much, that’s high praise indeed! he’s one of my favourite poets. I guess if I ever learn Spanish it will probably just to read his work as they were originally meant to be read!
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All the prompts so far have been quite tricky, and this one was no exception. I love where the Neruda poem took you, to a sad place and a powerful poem of your own. I love the way you speak directly to the antagonist as well as the reader – could be one and the same. I especially like the phrase ‘molten words turning hope to shreds’ and the repetition of the opening lines in the final stanza and the poignancy of the final lines:
‘Spare the children, spare this earth
take my soul instead.’
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Why, thank you ever so much! I’m touched.
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You’re very welcome.
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powerful one…
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Thank you
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Welcome
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