Spoon River Anthology — Page 13

English → Spanish Full Text Level 4/10

Daisy Fraser

Did you ever hear of Editor Whedon

¿Alguna vez supiste del Editor Whedon

Giving to the public treasury any of the money he received

Dando al erario público algo del dinero que recibió

For supporting candidates for office?

Por apoyar a candidatos para cargos públicos?

Or for writing up the canning factory

O por escribir sobre la fábrica de conservas

To get people to invest?

Para que la gente invirtiera?

Or for suppressing the facts about the bank,

O por suprimir los hechos sobre el banco,

When it was rotten and ready to break?

Cuando estaba podrido y a punto de quebrar?

Did you ever hear of the Circuit Judge

¿Alguna vez supiste del Juez de Circuito

Helping anyone except the "Q" railroad,

Ayudando a alguien que no fuera el ferrocarril "Q",

Or the bankers? Or did Rev. Peet or Rev. Sibley

O a los banqueros? ¿O acaso el Rev. Peet o el Rev. Sibley

Give any part of their salary, earned by keeping still,

Dieron alguna parte de su salario, ganado por guardar silencio,

Or speaking out as the leaders wished them to do,

O por hablar como los líderes deseaban que lo hicieran,

To the building of the water works?

Para la construcción de las obras hidráulicas?

But I—Daisy Fraser who always passed

Pero yo—Daisy Fraser, que siempre pasaba

Along the street through rows of nods and smiles,

Por la calle entre filas de cabeceos y sonrisas,

And coughs and words such as "there she goes."

Y toses y palabras como "ahí va ella."

Never was taken before Justice Arnett

Nunca fui llevada ante el Juez Arnett

Without contributing ten dollars and costs

Sin contribuir con diez dólares y costas

To the school fund of Spoon River!

Al fondo escolar de Spoon River!

Benjamin Fraser

Their spirits beat upon mine

Sus espíritus golpeaban sobre el mío

Like the wings of a thousand butterflies.

Como las alas de mil mariposas.

I closed my eyes and felt their spirits vibrating.

Cerré los ojos y sentí vibrar sus espíritus.

I closed my eyes, yet I knew when their lashes

Cerré los ojos, y aun así supe cuándo sus pestañas

Fringed their cheeks from downcast eyes,

Bordeaban sus mejillas con los ojos bajos,

And when they turned their heads;

Y cuándo giraban sus cabezas;

And when their garments clung to them,

Y cuándo sus ropas se ceñían a ellas,

Or fell from them, in exquisite draperies.

O caían de ellas, en exquisitos pliegues.

Their spirits watched my ecstasy

Sus espíritus contemplaban mi éxtasis

With wide looks of starry unconcern.

Con amplias miradas de estrellada indiferencia.

Vocabulary

Alguna: Some; any (feminine form of alguno)
vez: Time; instance; occasion
supiste: Second person past tense of saber; you knew
del: Of the; from the (contraction of de + el)
Editor: Editor; person who edits publications or media
Dando: Giving; present participle of dar
al: To the; at the (contraction of a + el)
erario: Public treasury; government funds
público: Public; of or for the people
algo: Something; anything; somewhat
dinero: Money; currency; funds
que: That; which; what (relative pronoun)
recibió: Third person past tense of recibir; received
Por: For; by; through; because of
apoyar: To support; to back; to assist
candidatos: Candidates; people running for office
para: For; in order to; towards
cargos: Positions; charges; offices
públicos: Public; of or relating to the public
por: For; by; through; because of
escribir: To write; to compose
sobre: About; on; concerning; envelope
la: The; her; it (feminine definite article)
fábrica: Factory; manufacturing plant
de: Of; from; about; made of
conservas: Preserves; canned goods; conserves
Para: For; in order to; towards
gente: People; folk; persons
invirtiera: Imperfect subjunctive of invertir; would invest
suprimir: To suppress; to eliminate; to remove
los: The; them (masculine plural article/pronoun)
hechos: Facts; events; deeds
el: The; he; him (masculine singular article/pronoun)
banco: Bank; bench; seat
Cuando: When; at what time
estaba: Past tense of estar; was; used to be
podrido: Rotten; decayed; corrupt
punto: Point; dot; period; moment
quebrar: To break; to go bankrupt
Juez: Judge; judicial officer
Circuito: Circuit; district; tour route
Ayudando: Helping; assisting; aiding
alguien: Someone; anybody; anyone
no: No; not; negative particle
fuera: Outside; away; were (subjunctive of ser)
ferrocarril: Railroad; railway; train
banqueros: Bankers; bank officials
acaso: Perhaps; maybe; by chance
Dieron: Third person plural past tense of dar; gave
alguna: Some; any (feminine form of alguno)
parte: Part; piece; role; portion
su: His; her; your; their (possessive adjective)
salario: Salary; wages; compensation for work
ganado: Cattle; livestock; earned (past participle)
guardar: To keep; to maintain; to store
silencio: Silence; quiet; stillness
hablar: To speak; to talk; to say
como: Like; as; how; since
líderes: Leaders; chiefs; prominent persons
deseaban: Third person plural past tense of desear; desired
lo: It; him; the (masculine singular pronoun)
hicieran: Imperfect subjunctive of hacer; would do
construcción: Construction; building; structure
las: The; them (feminine plural article/pronoun)
obras: Works; constructions; literary works
hidráulicas: Hydraulic; relating to fluid mechanics
Pero: But; however; nevertheless
yo: I; me (first person singular pronoun)
siempre: Always; forever; constantly
pasaba: Past tense of pasar; passed; went by
calle: Street; lane; road
entre: Between; among; amid
filas: Rows; lines; queues
cabeceos: Nods; head movements (from cabecear)

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