Poem on Wednesday #5

“Rima X”, de Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer

This short, haunting nineteenth century poem is the tenth poem in Rimas, a book of Bécquer’s poetry published by his friends after his early death. Another love poem, it uses a series of metaphors to describe the effects of love — but as love is passing by, does that mean the poet himself is unloved?

Los invisibles átomos del aire
en derredor palpitan y se inflaman;
el cielo se deshace en rayos de oro;
la tierra se estremece alborozada;
oigo flotando en olas de armonía
rumor de besos y batir de alas; mis párpados se cierran… ¿Qué sucede? –
¡Es el amor que pasa!

Join us next week for another classic Spanish poem!