Tag: poems

• March 7, 2026

  As if he heard rain

  A powerful satirical poem by Antoni Cardona that we translated from his original in Catalan As if he heard rain Antoni Cardona TorrasCatalan translation of “Com si sentís ploure”, by Brett Hetherington and Antoni CardonaBadly brought up loutwho lies in bucketfulsand is easily found out,always smiling proudlywhen the Palace sycophantsflatter him.He governs to havehis friends…
• February 23, 2026

  “Canigó:” Our translation of Verdaguer’s Catalan classic poem

  A extract of the epic in English Canigó (fragment) Jacint Verdaguer (1845-1902) [Translated from Catalan by Brett Hetherington and Antoni Cardona]Of Romanesque altars there were no trace.Of the Byzantine cloister nothing remains:alabaster sculptures fell downand the candle is fading like a celestial bodythat in Canigó will never be lit again.Like two giants of a holy…
• January 18, 2026

  “The neighbours” – My latest poem, also translated into Catalan

  The neighboursLike shortchanged construction workersThe neighbours shout down onto their kidsMost of the dayThe older boy(His name is Jonay, which rhymes with cry, and he does a lot)Well, he shouts back these days, heaving and aggrieved Then bellows at his brother Who is 3 or 4 years oldAnd he makes the noises of a dog…
• November 10, 2025

  Fact

  Please don’t ask me about my abuse. I wasn’t really there.
• October 24, 2025

  Untitled mixed

  a cowboy crowd camehuge under loud confetti tunespainted horses in everyones glanceglued to street prance frownsa story played with floating balloon chanceinside a rolled parade
• October 11, 2025

  “The pine tree of Formentor:” more than a nature poem

  Translation from Catalan of Miquel Costa i Llobera’s “El pi de Formentor” by Brett Hetherington and Antoni Cardona The pine tree of Formentor Miquel Costa i Llobera (1875)My heart loves a tree! Older than the olive tree,more powerful than the oak, greener than the orange tree,holding onto eternal spring in its leaves,and fighting against the…
• July 21, 2025

  How to read this poem

  Please make sure you are:Sitting in a little child’s wooden classroom chairReading this with someone else’s glassesPiling information blocks on top of each otherStopping, starting, stopping, startingJust as importantly, make sure you are:Watering heavily in both eyesEmploying the great deftness of AI to understand the meaning of these linesUniting with the community, in a fashionWhile…
• June 21, 2025

  “Night duty:” A prize-winning poem by Antoni Cardona, translated from Catalan

  [Recording here.] The poem “Guàrdia de nit” was awarded the Màrius Torres Award 2025 by the Council of Medical Associations of Catalonia Translation of Guàrdia de nit, by Brett Hetherington and Antoni Cardona [Inspired by Joan Salvat-Papasseit’s (1894-1924) “Nocturn per a acordió”]You are here: I did emergency night duty.You don’t know what it is to…
• June 8, 2025

  Two Scavengers in a Truck (with new Catalan translation)

  [A poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti] At the stoplight waiting for the lightnine a.m. downtown San Franciscoa bright yellow garbage truckwith two garbagemen in red plastic blazersstanding on the back stoopone on each side hanging onand looking down intoan elegant open Mercedeswith an elegant couple in itThe manin a hip three-piece linen suitwith shoulder-length blond hair…
• May 9, 2025

  “Why We Are Girls” (Rose Hunter’s poem in Catalan and English)

  The fine Australian poet and writer Rose Hunter first had this poem published in Event magazine then here at VerseDaily. It was translated by Antoni Cardona and I in April-May 2025. Why We Are Girls —(Or ladies, sometimes, but everyone knows that’s a bit funny) A girl is a wisp, a potato chip barely there,…