analyzing Echo, by PURA LÓPEZ-COLOMÉ

Echo

BY PURA LÓPEZ-COLOMÉ

TRANSLATED BY FORREST GANDER 

It would not sound so deep
Were it a Firmamental Product—
Airs no Oceans keep—
—Emily Dickinson

Afloat between your lens   

and your gaze,   

the last consideration to go   

across my gray matter   

and its salubrious   

deliquescence   

is   

whether or not I’ll swim,   

whether I’ll be able to breathe,   

whether I’ll live like before.   

I’m caught in the bubble   

of your breath.   

It locks me in.   

Drives me mad.   

Confined to speak alone,   

I talk and listen,   

ask questions and answer myself.   

I hum, I think I sing,   

I breathe in, breathe in and don’t explode.   

I’m no one.   

Behind the wall   

of hydrogen and oxygen,   

very clear, almost illuminated,   

you allow me to think   

that the Root of the Wind is Water

and the atmosphere   

smells of salt and microbes and intimacy.

And in that instant comes   

the low echo   

of a beyond beyond,   

a language archaic and soaked   

in syllables and accents suited   

for re-de-trans-forming,   

giving light,   

giving birth to   

melanin   

hidden within another skin:   

the hollow echo of the voice   

which speaks alone.   

--------------------------------------------

Analysis: This poem, "Echo" by Pura López-Colomé, translated by Forrest Gander, delves into the complex interplay between existence, perception, and confinement. The speaker contemplates their existence in the context of an intimate relationship, drawing on imagery that blurs the boundaries between self and the external world. The poem's title, "Echo," serves as a metaphor for the speaker's experience. The echo represents a distorted reflection, a repetition of sound that fades with distance. In this context, the speaker's identity and voice seem to be distorted and confined by the presence of another. The mention of being "caught in the bubble" of someone else's breath suggests a sense of entrapment, a loss of agency, and an inability to escape the influence of the other person.

The speaker's thoughts oscillate between introspection and external observation. The reference to the "Root of the Wind" being water and the atmosphere smelling of "salt and microbes and intimacy" implies a deep connection to nature and the elements, emphasizing the primal and essential aspects of existence. This connection contrasts with the speaker's confinement, highlighting the paradox between freedom and restriction. The poem also explores the concept of language and communication. The speaker finds themselves confined to solitude, forced to engage in self-dialogue. This isolation leads to introspection, self-questioning, and a search for identity within the confines of the relationship. The mention of "a language archaic and soaked in syllables and accents" hints at the complexity of human communication, emphasizing the difficulty of truly understanding and expressing oneself.

Overall, "Echo" captures the struggle for identity and agency within the confines of a relationship, highlighting the tension between individuality and connection. The poem's imagery and introspective tone invite readers to reflect on their own experiences of intimacy, confinement, and self-discovery.