Life that escapes me inevitably (La vida que se me acorta sin remedio)

Life is a beautiful, short, sudden little thing.  From my Dad’s book Urgent poetry (Poesía de urgencia). 

Life that escapes me inevitably (La vida que se me acorta sin remedio)

Suddenly the city restarts.

The neighbourhood’s bells know it

and they strum tireless from dawn.

The recollection of the last hours moves me.

Perhaps these are the longest in time measures.

The previous day is rebuilt or the new day is built

with swift images that are almost inapprehensible. 

The resonant joy of dawn

invades all corners of the house

and the backyard emerges into the light

or the light penetrates it.

With it the new daily lightning

of the dew and the flowers and the birds.

And still the solitude, and the sadness

of the irrecoverable minute.  The night that  

every day we leave forever!