Rafael Alberti. Wring Me Out Over the Sea

Also in Translations:

Boat, Lake
"Boat" by Nina Kossman
Rafael Alberti. Wring Me Out Over the Sea

Retorcedme sobre el mar,
al sol, como si mi cuerpo
fuera el jirón de una vela.

Exprimid toda mi sangre.
Tended a secar mi vida
sobre las jarcias del muelle.

Seco, arrojadme a las aguas
con una piedra en el cuello
para que nunca más flote.

Le di mi sangre a los mares.
¡Barcos, navegad por ella!
Debajo estoy yo, tranquilo.

Rafael Alberti.  Marinero en tierra, 25

* * *

Выкрути меня над морем,
на солнце, будто мое тело —
лоскут паруса.

Выжми из меня всю кровь.
Повесь мою жизнь сушиться
на такелаже пирса.

А высохну, брось меня в воду
с камнем на шее,
чтобы я не всплывал.

Свою кровь я отдал морям.
Плывите по ней, корабли!
Я спокоен, лежу на дне.

Перевод на русский Нины Косман

* * *

Wring me out over the sea,
in the sun, as though my body
were the shred of a sail.

Squeeze out all my blood.
Spread my life to dry
over the rigging of the pier.

Once dry, throw me into the water
with a stone around my neck
so that I’ll never float again.

I gave my blood to the seas.
Sail through it, ships!
I’m down below, resting.

English translation by Jose A. Elgorriaga & Martin Paul; 100 Poems by Rafael Alberti. San Francisco: Kosmos, 1981.

About the Author:

RafaelAlberti(350x474).jpg (1)
Rafael Alberti
Spain

Rafael Alberti (16 December 1902 – 28 October 1999) was a Spanish poet. He is considered one of the greatest literary figures of the so-called Silver Age of Spanish poetry.

Rafael Alberti Nina Kossman Рафаэль Альберти Нина Косман
Bookshelf
Version 1.0.0
by Nina Kossman

 

A new book of poems by Nina Kossman. “When the mythological and personal meet, something transforms for this reader…” -Ilya Kaminsky

Olga Stein cover
by Olga Stein

A collection of poems by Olga Stein.

Naza image
by Naza Semoniff

This isn’t self-help. It’s not a parody either. It’s something stranger and smarter: a satirical, uncategorizable book about belief, leadership, algorithmic power, and the performance of divinity in modern life.

book one
by Sergii Mazurkevych

From the myths of the ancient Near East to the secluded palaces of forgotten empires, Harems: Origins and Eunuchs uncovers how the idea of the harem first emerged — not only as a symbol of power and beauty, but also as a reflection of human desire, faith, and control. With the precision of a historian and the sensitivity of a storyteller, Sergii Mazurkevych traces the hidden world of eunuchs, devotion, and intrigue that shaped entire civilizations. A thoughtful and visually rich journey into one of history’s most secret institutions.

Videos
Play Video
EastWest Literary Forum Bilingual Poetry & Prose Reading. July 13, 2025.
Length: 2 hrs. 08 min