Oda a mis zapatos
mis zapatos
descansan
toda la noche
bajo mi cama
cansados
se estiran
se aflojan
las cintas
muy anchos
se duermen
y sueñan
con andar
recorren
los lugares
adonde fueron
en el día
y amanecen
contentos
relajados
suavecitos
Translator’s Glossary
|
WORD
|
DEFINITION
|
POSSIBLE SYNONYMS
|
|---|---|---|
| a (prep.) | indicates direction or position | to |
| adonde (adv.) | in or to a place | where, somewhere, someplace |
| amanecen (v.) | from the verb amanecer—it means to emerge from sleep | they awake, they stir, they wake up, they get up |
| anchos (adj.) | with sides and edges far apart | wide, loose fitting, ample |
| andar (v.) | move on foot | walking, strolling, marching, sauntering |
| bajo (prep.) | location of something | under, below, underneath |
| cama (n.) | furniture on which to sleep | bed, cot |
| cansados (v.) | from verb cansar—needing to rest | tired, exhausted, worn-out, drained |
| cintas (n.) | cord for fastening shoes | shoelaces, ribbons, ties, cords |
| con (conj.) | indicating something is combined with something | and, with |
| contentos (adj.) | feeling pleasure | happy, content, glad, in high spirits |
| descansan (v.) | from verb descansar—stopping of work or activity | they rest, they take it easy, they take a break, they kick back |
| día (n.) | sunrise to sunset | day, daytime |
| el (art.) | masculine, singular—refers to something already mentioned | the |
| en (prep.) | indicates state or location | in |
| fueron (v.) | past tense of ir—to leave a place | they went, they left, they departed, they went away |
| la (art.) | feminine singular—refers to something already mentioned | the |
| las (art.) | feminine plural—refers to something already mentioned | the |
| los (art.) | masculine plural—refers to something that has already been mentioned | the |
| lugares (n.) | areas or portions of space | places, locations, spots |
| mi (adj.) | belonging to me | my |
| mis (adj.) | plural—indicates that they belong to me | my |
| muy (adv.) | gives emphasis | very, extremely, incredibly |
| noche (n.) | daily period of darkness | night, hours of darkness |
| oda (n.) | a poem that expresses love or respect for someone or something | ode |
| recorren (v.) | from the verb recorrer—it means to get to the other side of something | traveling through, traveling across |
| relajados (v.) | from the verb relajar—it means to spend time at ease | relaxed, unwound, rested |
| se aflojan (reflex. v.) | from verb aflojar—make something less tight | they loosen themselves, they slacken themselves, they untie themselves |
| se duermen (reflex. v.) | from verb dormir—not being awake | they sleep, they doze, they nap, they take a siesta |
| se estiran (reflex. v.) | from verb estirar—expand by force | they stretch, they extend themselves |
| suavecitos (adj.) | smooth-textured | soft, delicate, spongy, squashy |
| sueñan (v.) | from verb soñar—a sequence of mental images during sleep | they dream, they are in a reverie |
| toda (adv.) | whole of | all, every part of |
| y (conj.) | plus, along with | and, in addition to, as well as |
| zapatos (n.) | stiff outer covering for the feet | shoes |
Artistic Elements
I. About odes
• “ode” comes from the Greek aeidein, meaning to sing or chant, and belongs to te long and varied
tradition of lyrical poetry. Originally accompanied by music and dance, and later reserved by
Romantic poets to convey their strongest sentiments, the ode can be generalized as a formal
address to and event, a person, or a thing not present
• There are three typical types of odes: the Pindaric, Horatian, and Irregular. The Pindaric is named
for the ancent Greek poet Pondar, who is credited with inventing the ode. Pindaric odes were
performed with a chorus and dancers, and often composed to celebrate athletic victories.
Bio
A prolific writer for adults and children, Francisco X. Alarcón was born in Los Angeles, California. When he was six years old, he moved with his family to Guadalajara, Mexico but returned to California when he was eighteen to attend college. He wrote in English and Spanish, and his work celebrates life, bilingualism, and Mexican/Chicano culture. Songs his grandmother sang to him as a young boy inspired much of his poetry. Tradition, culture, and heritage were very important to Alarcón. He explained, “I carry my roots with me all the time—rolled up—I use them as my pillow.”