Read and study about the life of César Vallejo by clicking here. Also, read the two poems on that page: "Black Stone Lying on a White Stone" and "To my Brother, Miguel in memoriam." Also, read the poem «Los Heraldos Negros» found below in Spanish, and in English translation.
   
The Black Heralds Los Heraldos Negros

The Black Heralds

There are in life such hard blows . . . I don't know!
Blows seemingly from God's wrath; as if before them
the undertow of all our sufferings
is embedded in our souls . . . I don't know!

There are few; but are . . . opening dark furrows
in the fiercest of faces and the strongest of loins,
They are perhaps the colts of barbaric Attilas
or the dark heralds Death sends us.

They are the deep falls of the Christ of the soul,
of some adorable one that Destiny blasphemes.
Those bloody blows are the crepitation
of some bread getting burned on us by the oven's door

And man . . . poor . . . poor!
He turns his eyes around, like
when patting calls us upon our shoulder;
he turns his crazed maddened eyes,
and all of life's experiences become stagnant,
like a puddle of guilt,
in a daze.

There are such hard blows in life. I don't know!

Los Heraldos Negros

Hay golpes en la vida tan fuertes . . . ¡Yo no sé!
Golpes como del odio de Dios; como si ante ellos;
la resaca de todo lo sufrido se empozara en el alma
¡Yo no sé!

Son pocos; pero son . . . abren zanjas oscuras
en el rostro mas fiero y en el lomo mas fuerte,
Serán tal vez los potros de bárbaros atilas;
o los heraldos negros que nos manda la Muerte

Son las caídas hondas de los Cristos del alma,
de alguna adorable que el Destino Blasfema,
Esos golpes sangrientos son las crepitaciones
de algún pan que en la puerta del horno se nos quema

Y el hombre....pobre...¡pobre!
Vuelve los ojos,
como cuando por sobre el hombro
nos llama una palmada;
vuelve los ojos locos,
y todo lo vivido
se empoza, como charco de culpa,
en la mirada.

Hay golpes en la vida, tan fuertes . . . ¡Yo no sé!

 
On March 16, 2016 there will be a quiz on the life and poetry of César Vallejo. You will be allowed one handwritten, not typed, sheet of notes to take the quiz. This quiz is worth 40 points.

Go back to Mr. Vargas' Spanish 3 Honors Homepage