<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">Ode To Tomatoes</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">The street</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">filled with tomatoes</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">midday,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">summer,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">light is</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">halved</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">like</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">a</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">tomato,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its juice</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">runs</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">through the streets.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">In December,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">unabated,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the tomato</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">invades</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the kitchen,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">it enters at lunchtime,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">takes</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its ease</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">on countertops,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">among glasses,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">butter dishes,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">blue saltcellars.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">It sheds</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its own light,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">benign majesty.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">Unfortunately, we must</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">murder it:</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the knife</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sinks</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">into living flesh,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">red</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">viscera,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">a cool</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sun,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">profound,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">inexhausible,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">populates the salads</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">of Chile,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">happily, it is wed</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">to the clear onion,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">and to celebrate the union</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">we</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">pour</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">oil,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">essential</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">child of the olive,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">onto its halved hemispheres,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">pepper</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">adds</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its fragrance,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">salt, its magnetism;</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">it is the wedding</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">of the day,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">parsley</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">hoists</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its flag,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">potatoes</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">bubble vigorously,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the aroma</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">of the roast</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">knocks </div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">at the door,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">it's time!</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">come on!</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">and, on </div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the table, at the midpoint</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">of summer,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the tomato,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">star of earth,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">recurrent</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">and fertile</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">star,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">displays</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its convolutions,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its canals,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its remarkable amplitude</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">and abundance,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">no pit,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">no husk,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">no leaves or thorns,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the tomato offers</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">its gift</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">of fiery color</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">and cool completeness.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Pablo Neruda</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; text-align: center; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">(translated by Margaret Sayers Peden)</p><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">Oda Al Tomate</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">La calle</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se llenó de tomates,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">mediodia,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">verano,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">la luz</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se parte</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">en dos</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">mitades</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">de tomate,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">corre</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">por las calles</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el jugo.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">En diciembre</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se desata</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el tomate,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">invade</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">las cocinas,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">entra por los almuerzos,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se sienta</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">reposado</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">en los aparadores,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">entre los vasos,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">las matequilleras,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">los saleros azules.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">Tiene</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">luz propia,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">majestad benigna.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">Devemos, por desgracia,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">asesinarlo:</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se hunde</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el cuchillo</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">en su pulpa viviente,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">es una roja</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">viscera,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">un sol</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">fresco,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">profundo,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">inagotable,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">llena las ensaladas</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">de Chile,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se casa alegremente</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">con la clara cebolla,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">y para celebrarlo</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">se deja</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">caer</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">aceite,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">hijo</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">esencial del olivo,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sobre sus hemisferios entreabiertos,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">agrega</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">la pimienta</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">su fragancia,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">la sal su magnetismo:</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">son las bodas</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">del día</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el perejil</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">levanta</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">banderines,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">las papas</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">hierven vigorosamente,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el asado</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">golpea</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">con su aroma</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">en la puerta,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">es hora!</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">vamos!</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">y sobre</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">la mesa, en la cintura</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">del verano,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el tomate,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">aastro de tierra,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">estrella</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">repetida</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">y fecunda,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">nos muestra</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sus circunvoluciones,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sus canales,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">la insigne plenitud</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">y la abundancia</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sin hueso,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sin coraza,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sin escamas ni espinas,</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">nos entrega</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">el regalo</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">de su color fogoso</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">y la totalidad de su frescura.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Pablo Neruda</div></div></body></html>