Javier Etchevarren
Translated by Jesse Lee Kercheval
Clothes
The clothes that my older brother outgrows
are worn by my middle brother.
The clothes that my middle brother outgrows
are worn by me.
The clothes are a second, shared skin
and we must extend their life as far as we can
mending them with knee patches, elbow patches.
Patches are an art for my mother.
If the winter lasts four seasons
my brothers and I
will not suffer from the cold
because we are united, cobbled together,
knee and elbow, with patches.
La Ropa
La ropa que deja de usar mi hermano mayor
es usada por mi hermano mediano.
La ropa que deja de usar mi hermano mediano
es usada por mí.
La ropa es una segunda piel compartida
y hay que extenderle la vida lo máximo que se pueda
remendándola con rodilleras, coderas y parches
que es el arte de mi madre.
Si el invierno durara cuatro estaciones
mis hermanos y yo
no sufriríamos el frío
porque estamos unidos, remendados
con rodilleras, coderas y parches