Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez' Creativity

Love

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 12:06:00 +0000

Love cannot be explained
Only felt.
Crosses oceans,
Knocks down walls,
Saves obstacles,
Listens without sounds.
Feels without touching.
Does not understand age or distance.
Not even death can kill it.

I remember the days of bread

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 10:57:00 +0000

I remember the days of baking bread.

Mom busy kneading

Loaves for a month.

Delicious muffins smelling of anise!

I remember that mom sat me

up on the bunks full of wheat.

Drawn crossed squares

Where we played at three in a row.

I remember the rain outside

Pitter-pattered on the slate roof top.

My hot and dry feet inside my clogs,

Wet when splashing puddles.

What I mostly remember

It's the smell of freshly baked brown bread,

The softness of Mom's worn apron, and

Her sweat running down from her forehead.

Spanish version: Recuerdo los días del pan

POEM Life Awakening

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 12:11:00 +0000

Life awakening.

Unwinding clouds lifting.

Fading voices early rising.

Little birds nesting,

Fluttering and singing.

My cats stretching.

In the valley bellow, dogs are barking.

The smoke goes up uncoiling.

The smell of wet earth

At dawn still staying.

Sunlight the shadows hiding.

The spring resurgence winning

To the sleepy winter.

In my soul

Hope again rising.

I want to live forever

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:29:00 +0000

Pulling the USB out of her computer she thought - I want this more than anything in this world.

She phoned.

-Please Rob, come by my house today. I can wait for you. I'm not sleepy.

Slowly she dressed in flowered pattern silk pyjamas and put it on a long robe.

She watched the sun going down. It did not hurt her. That would continue happening without worrying the star who could see it. Without nostalgia feeling for the beings who had seen it rising and submerging every day.

The bell rang.

- What's wrong? Why so much hurry?

- Enter Rob. Sit down and listen to me, please! Take this is the USB with my memoirs.

- But you told me yesterday morning that you were going to rewrite them again.

- I have changed my mind. There will be no more revisions. I want them to be published as they are. You know I've been working on them for years, written and rewritten them. That they have been the center of my life during these last ten years ...

- But you have to make a big investment for its publication.

- Take it. Here you have a check with all of my savings. You will not have any problems to publish them. Promise that you will do it tomorrow.

- Yeah, right. I do not understand anything, but I promise.

- All right. See you tomorrow, then. I'm sort of tired.

- See you tomorrow. You look exhausted and very pale. Take care!

As soon as she woke up she phoned her cardiologist.

- Good morning, Mrs. Smidt. Have you already made a decision?

- Yes, doctor. I have.

- Well, I'm glad you called me. I already told you yesterday that it was a matter of life or death. Your aortic valve is so damaged that it can fail in these twenty-four hours. An emergency surgery is essential in your case.

- Thank you, for your sincerity doctor.

- Well, I already told you that the surgery would be expensive ...

- I have the money. That's not a problem.

- All right. In that case, everything is ready for the operation this afternoon. You will see that you will soon recover, and you will be able to live a long time without problems.

- No, doctor. I'm not going to the hospital. I am sorry. I have already decided. I will not have that surgery.

- That's very dangerous! You will die soon!

She started coughing. She put a handkerchief in front of her mouth. When she removed it, it was drenched in blood. When her coughing subsided. She continued.

- Yes, doctor, but my body will die in any case and nobody will remember me. Thus, I have invested the money of my surgery in publishing my memoirs. My body will no longer exist, but maybe someone can remember me, even though I am no longer in this world.

Versión en español "Quiero vivir por siempre"

The Stone Table

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:41:00 +0000

She wanted to buy a stone table like the one her neighbor had in her garden. She envied her because her neighbor always had very nice things, but she could not afford them with her scant widow's pension. That’s why she decided to pawn her engagement ring. It had a good diamond, so she could be given a good pinch for it.

While she was going to take the underground to go to the gold buyer's shop, she stopped in front of the shop window of the appliances store. She could see her reflection on the window of the shop. She was still young and appetizing, she thought. She had plenty of time to hunt another man. She looked at her hand. Her engagement ring could have been a beautiful memory, but why would she pretend to herself? That ring had been nothing more than a dirty trick so that her boyfriend managed to lock her in that tiger cage, it had become her married home. He had put the ring under her nose like someone who puts a carrot for a rabbit. As soon as they had arrived aboard the cruise ship, where they had spent their honeymoon, he started behaving like a crow that wanted to take her eyes out. When they came back to their house, the screams began, louder and louder each time. Later he started using his filthy hands.

Occasionally she had to wear her sunglasses. Sometimes to hide a bruise. Others to hide the embarrassment before the villagers’ gossiping. He was the culprit, who forced her to explode. There came a time when she could not take it anymore. That's why she had to kill him. But she was sure that no one would ever find him out, buried there under the stone table in her neighbor's garden.
Going down the escalator she took out her ring to clean it by rubbing it against her woolen coat. The jewel dropped into one of the metal slits of the escalator. She started screaming - Stop them, stop them, they've swallowed my ring!

Adagio

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:51:00 +0000

No space,
No time,
From the light screen
Your eyes staring at mine.
Your unspoken words my being reach,
Promising musical notes
My whole soul bewitched.
From beyond the Oceans
The pleasant Adagio sounds
Sweet, blue, amorous…
Nothing more ephimerous
Could enfold me so tight,
During day and night.

Madrid, 1, March, 2008

Are You The Man I love?

noreply@blogger.com (Berta-Isabel Cuadrado Alvarez) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:14:00 +0000

If you are the man I love,
you’ll dare to
be my friend
let me be yours,
say “NO” to me when you consider it wise
tell me “YES” when I am right,
cry in front of me when you felt it
let me cry when I need it,
help me when I need you
let give you a hand when I offer to help you,
correct me when I am mistaken
let me correct you when you’re wrong,
praise me when I got it
let me be proud of you,
kissed me when I am angry
let me kiss you when you are in a bad mood,
talk to me when I feel confused
let me ask you for advise,
trust me when I make a decision
let me rely on you,
ask me when I behave in an incomprehensible way
let me ask you when I cannot understand,
make love when we both desire.

You must not mind about
My age,
My spots,
My weigh,
My wrinkles,
My dark skin,
My short body,
My small breasts,
My grey hairs,
My make up,
My clothes,
My shoes.

Do not try to convince me about
Your political ideas,
Nor about your religion,
For, sorry, I can't trust any.

You should be convinced,
The deepest look,
The softest voice,
The bravest heart,
The kindest smile,
The smoothest skin,
The wisest thought,
I'll have.
The most risky,
The most caring,
The most beautiful,
The most intelligent,
The most passionate,
The loveliest of all on Earth
I'll be.

I’m afraid,
You’ll have to adore,
My powerful petite fingers combing your lovely hair,
My burning skin crawling about your anxious body,
My ripe lips touching you here and there,
My inquiring hands grasping your back,
My playful feet wondering around you,
My melting thighs hugging your ears,
My devoted belly frisking over yours,
My motherly knees rocking you,
My loving arms embracing you,
My ardent eyes staring at yours.

I need
Your captivating look
To bewitch me,
Your judicious words
To persuade me,
Your calm voice
To enchant me,
Your glowing kisses
To enrapture me,
Your warm hands
To caress me,
Your strong arms
To embosom me,
Your good-hearted behaviour
To conquer me.

I promise
Your problems will be mine
As mine will be yours,
My friends will be yours
As yours will be mine,
Your children will be mine
As mine will be yours,
My country will be yours
As yours will be mine,
Your world will be mine
As mine will be yours,
My future will belong to you
As much as I want yours to belong to me.

I need you
As free as I’ll be,
As strong as I’ll feel,
As sweet as I’ll behave,
As respectful as I’ll treat you.

I want you to be
The most communicative man,
The most mindful professional,
The most trustworthy person,
The most passionate lover,
The funniest partner,
The best of my friends,
That’s all I need from YOU!

Would you dare…?

Madrid, February 11, 2008