“To Fight Life-Long to Be Essential” (Bertold Brecht) by Hernan Zúñiga translated by Alexis Levitin and Fernando Iturburu

“To Fight Life-Long to Be Essential” (Bertolt Brecht)

Furzy bracken spreads out wintry splendors

for the one who truly sees

and does not call it with contempt underbrush,

for that black rose that in its hands

holds clouds of tears,

personal rains,

all that are possible.

He sees again birds not yet in flight,

pale butterflies in puddles,

their hair fresh-washed going out into the day,

he begins along with furzy bracken to spell out:

creepers, crickets, figs, fittonia

alongside the first class coach passing by

filled with flesh, fragrant with hope,

fresh-groomed hair

to fight life-long

to be essential.