March 15, 2016

El Golem, Jorge Luis Borges


"The simulacrum raised its sleepy eyelids,
saw forms and colors that it did not understand,
and confused by our babble
made fearful movements."


I didn't know that one of my favourite writers, Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges had written a beautiful poem about Golem. "El Golem" is part of the 1964 book El otro, el mismo (The other, The self). His poem uses the tale of Rabbih Loew making a Gloem out of clay and he also quotes philosopher Gershom Scholem.

You can read a full translation from spanish to english by James Honzik here. It's short so go ahead and read it. And below is is a recording where Borges recites the poem in spanish.

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