Poetry at Acqua

 

Poetry at Acqua

19 July 2006 Interviews & Editorials 7

We visited a new restaurant in Merida last night called Acqua. It's a hip place with an unusual menu where young, beautiful people come to see and be seen. We had the chipotle fondu and tried not to look too old. On the paper placemats (sponsored by Coca Cola), was printed a fragment of a poem by Jorge Luis Borges. It was in Spanish, but it was easy to get the drift. We reprint it here in English as a reminder to ourselves of why we live in Yucatan. Thanks, Jorge, wherever you are...

Instantes

If I were able to live my life anew,
In the next I would try to commit more errors.
I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more.
I would be more foolish than I've been,
In fact, I would take few things seriously.
I would be less hygienic.
I would run more risks,
take more vacations,
contemplate more sunsets,
climb more mountains, swim more rivers.
I would go to more places where I've never been,
I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans,
I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones.

I was one of those people that lived sensibly
and prolifically each minute of his life;
Of course I had moments of happiness.
If I could go back I would try
to have only good moments.

Because if you didn't know, of that is life made:
only of moments; Don't lose the now.

- Jorge Luis Borges

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