Roberto Perez-Franco
Poem

jealousy

Original in Spanish

There is a beast asleepinside of me

Beneath my skin the beast lives,breathing my air,and watching you with my eyesin silence…

Woe to himwho comes near you!

For the beast awakens,stirs, grows furious,and takes hold of me,longing to tear to pieceswith its claws the one who dared…

A beast is sleepingin the warmth of my chest

That beast has my heart,that beast has my blood,that beast would kill for you

And you, my beauty,incandescent amazon,tempt the beast,gauging its keenness,and stirring up its fury,like a plaything for your whims

Do not defy the beast,my sweet beloved,do not provoke its wrathnor awaken its instinct…

it can kill us both,in its jaws of fire!

Notes

Translated from the Spanish by the author.

Appears inEssential Anthology (2026)