Chiquipaisa (asker) Sep 11, 2011:

Thanks to all for your comments, they were all helpful in different ways.

Chiquipaisa (asker) Sep 5, 2011:

Responses to questions and additional information @ cgowar-- I believe that Laurie's comment about this not meaning swallow was in reference to two of the suggested answers that give swallow as an option. @ Gilla- Though rhythm is important, I'm most concerned with getting the idea across accurately.

@ All that are interested-- The poet suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, so that is the suffering alluded to in the poem that she wishes to cure. Here is the poem in its entirety:


Quiero sanarla
a golpe de versos y poemas,
beber a dentelladas la agonía,
regalarle la vida, darle el amor,
elevar cometas de colores.
Liberar al fin tanta hermosura.

Pero ella, embriagada en su pena,
Lleva el corazón de luto,

La vida a retazos.

Ahogada en el dolor
es un pájaro enjaulado en sus días.

Cecilia Gowar Sep 5, 2011:

Dentellada Is a bite, or a "snap of the jaws or teeth"... you cannot do that with clenched teeth. Nobody said here it meant "to swallow"...

Laurie Price Sep 5, 2011:

how about ... to suck up the agonies through clenched teeth? Since dentellada means to bite (not swallow) this implies a kind of bitter action in taking in these agonies ... they're not just being swallowed -- there's a reluctance in how they're being taken in.

Evans (X) Sep 5, 2011:

@ Chiquipaisa I really think more context is needed in order for us to offer anything of any use to you. A wider understanding of this poem is crucial. I think some use of the expression "bite back" might possibly work, but there is no point in my posting it. Also rhythm is going to matter here, and again we need to see more of the poem.