Two Poems in Spanish

Santa Vida (3rd April, 2012)

Sobre la casa del olvido

Las aves hacen ruido

Porque, Papa querido,

Quisieran fiestar en tu nido.

Toma este rosario, es tu día.

Buen aniversario, santa vida.

Mercedes Sosa sings Violeta Parra’s “Gracias A La Vida”

Gracias (2014)

Gracias a la vida

Que no dura solo un día

Gracias al anochecer

Que nos enseña

Gracias a la alegría

Del amanecer

Y para la sonrisa

Del baile creer.

Thanks to life 

That doesn't last just one day 

Thanks to the twilight

That teaches us 

Thanks to the joy 

Of the dawn

And for believing

In dancing with a smile.

—okei

Gracias a La Vida

A little poem in Spanish, subconsciously inspired by the famous song:

Gracias a la vida
Que no dura solo un día
Gracias al anochecer
Que nos enseña
Gracias a la alegría
Del amanecer
Y para la sonrisa
Del baile creer.

—okei

Translation:

Thanks to life

That does not last just one day

Thanks to the dusk

That teaches us

Thanks to the joy

Of the dawn

And for the smile

To believe in the dance.

 

Video: Gracias A La Vida by Mercedes Sosa. Words by Violeta Parra.

Two Poems by Lorca

Philosopher Will Buckingham plays classical guitar, accompanied by two poems of Federico García Lorca in translation and a selection of Bulgarian art. The video was taken at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute, 15th Feb. 2013. at a book reading of 'Descent of the Lyre'. More information here.

"Arbolé, Arbolé seco y verdé" literally means "Tree, tree dry and green" but it is almost impossible to translate capturing both the rhyming sound of it, and the opposition between "dry" and "green". So it is best left in Spanish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pym3t1YZikA

 Arbolé, Arbolé... (original)

Arbolé, Arbolé
Seco y verdé.

The girl with the beautiful face
Is gathering olives
The wind, prince of towers
takes her by the waist.

Four horsemen pass by
on Andalusian ponies
with suits of azure and green
and long flowing robes.
"Come to Cordoba, young dear"
The girl does not hear.

Three young bullfighters pass by,
Slender about their waists
with suits of orange
and swords of ancient silver.
"Come to Sevilla, young dear"
The girl does not hear.

When the evening draws on,
In purple dusk diffusing,
a young man passes by carrying
roses and myrtles of moonlight.
"Come to Granada, young dear"
But the girl does not hear.

The girl with the beautiful face
still goes on gathering olives
with the grey arm of the wind
encircling her waist.

Arbolé! Arbolé!
Seco y verde.


Captive (original)

Through the indecisive
branches
went a maiden
who was life.
Through the indecisive
branches.
With a tiny mirror,
she reflected the day
which was aglow
upon her clear forehead.
Through the indecisive
branches.
Upon night's shadows,
lost, she wandered,
weeping dew,
for time held captive.
Through the indecisive
branches.

Silence (Pablo Neruda / Octavio Paz)

The following translation juxtaposes the poems on silence (both titled "Silencio") by two South-American poets, the Chilean Pablo Neruda and the Mexican Octavio Paz. The painting is "Florimel" by British painter Henry Ryland (1856-1924). Merry Christmas & Blessings for 2013!

 (Pablo Neruda / Octavio Paz)

Silence

I, who grew up inside a tree,
I had a lot to tell the world,
But surrounded by silence I learnt,
That I had a lot to keep quiet.
And this one gets to know by growing
Without other joy but to grow
Without more passion than substance
Without more action than innocence.

And when from the depths of song
A note vibrates, grows and wanes
Until in other harmonies
It melds into the depths of silence,
Hark! there comes another silence
Atop a steeple, sharp as a sword
That soars and lifts, suspending us
And as it soars, it lets go
Memories and hopes, lies big and small.
And though we want to cry
In our throat, dies the scream:
We flow into the sea of silence,
Wherein all silences are mute.

And inside us, time becomes golden
Called upon from a great height
To ripen into orange.

Shakira — No

In the final few seconds she stands above the water (like the archetypal Fool at the edge of the unknown) but unlike in "Whenever, Wherever" in which she jumps into the abyss, this time she smiles and turns away. The "No" extends to encompass even the "No" itself! Brilliant!

Shakira 
— No lyrics in collaboration with Gustavo Cerati)

No, no intentes disculparte 
(No, don't try to excuse yourself) 

No juegues a insistir 
(Don't play at insisting) 
 
Las excusas ya existían antes de ti 

(The excuses were already there before you) 


 
 
No, no me mires como antes 
(No, don't look at me like before,) 
 
No hables en plural  
(Don't talk in the plural) 

La retórica es tu arma más letal 
 
(Rhetoric is your most lethal weapon)  

Voy a pedirte que no vuelvas más 
(
I am going to ask you never to return) 

Siento que me dueles todavía aquí  
(
I feel that that you still hurt me here)  
Adentro (Inside) 
 
Y que a tu edad sepas bien lo que es
(And that at your age you know well what it is
) 

Romperle el corazón a alguien así 

(To break the heart of someone else like this) 
 

No se puede vivir con tanto veneno,  
(One cannot live with so much passion) 
 
La esperanza que me da tu amor  
(
The hope your love gives me)  
No me la dio más nadie 
 
(No one gave me more ever)  
Te juro, no miento 
(I swear, I do not lie) 
 

No se puede morir con tanto veneno 
(One cannot live with so much passion) 
 
No se puede dedicar el alma 
(
One cannot devote one's soul) 

A acumular intentos 
(
Attempting again and again) 

Pesa más la rabia que el cemento  
(Anger weighs heavier than cement

)
 

 
Espero que no esperes que te espere 
(I hope you don't expect that I'll wait for you) 
 
Después de mis 26 

(After turning twenty-six)  
La paciencia se me ha ido hasta los pies  
(Patience has sunk down to my feet)
 
Y voy deshojando margaritas 

(And I go plucking daisy petals)  
Y mirando sin mirar 

(And wondering without looking)  
Para ver si así, te irritas y te vas 
(
To see if you get irritated and leave)


Live Performance:

Ideas for an English version.

No, don't tell me reasons why
Don't try to insist
Your reasons, weren't they just another lie?

No, don't look at me that way
Don't say how I'm missed
Your words are just a lethal game you play.

I'm going to ask you never to return
I still feel how you hurt me here inside
In my heart
And at your age, you know well what it is
To break the heart of someone else like this.

No, no-one can live with so much passion
The hope that your love gave me
No-one else gave me before
I swear, I do not lie.

No, no-one can die with so much passion
No-one can devote their soul
Trying again and again
Anger weighs down like coal.

I hope you don't expect I'll wait for you.
Since turning twenty-six
Patience has sunk down to my toes
So here I am counting daisy petals
Wondering without looking
To see if you'll get fed up now and go.

Lhasa de Sela — El Desierto

Lhasa de Sela (1972-2010)
— El Desierto (The Desert)


He venido al desierto para rear de tu amor  
(I've come to the desert to laugh at your love)
Que el desierto es más tierno y la espina besa mejor 
(As the desert's more tender and the thorn kisses better.)
He venido a ese centro de la nada pa' gritar
(I've come to this middle of nowhere to shout)
Que tú nunca mereciste lo que tanto quise dar
(That you never deserved what I wanted to give so badly.)

He venido yo corriendo, olvidándome de ti
(I've come running, trying to forget you)
Dame un beso pajarillo, y no te asustes colibrí
(Give me a kiss little bird, don't get frightened humming bird)
He venido encendida al desierto pa' quemar
(I've come on fire to the desert to burn)
Porque el alma prende fuego cuando deja de amar
(Because the soul is set alight when it stops loving)

 

Lhasa explains her father's philosophy about growth and breaking free, which inspired her song "soon this space will be too small".  

Each time we reclaim our freedom and break through the barriers that enclose our world, we come into a new and bigger world and face new barriers and circumstances. new dangers, new choices and new freedoms to be re-claimed. Just as the baby in the womb must think, "this is it!" at birth, so we think at death. But is it? Or are we too smart for our own good.

Arjuna said: A very beautiful & a very wise person. Loved the song, your translation, and her thoughts on growth.

Eden said: I think she is beautiful as well, so sad to hear she has died. I too loved the song, the words and the story of her father's idea. I've added these to my favorites. Thank you for introducing her to us.

Kathy said: To return with such a memorable tribute is so very good of you to share, Okei. You are among a few friends who stole some time away recently, and it is nice to have you return. Hope your visit with your family was a pleasant one. ~ Blessings!

Lin said: ((okie)) Wonderful to see you again. "Soon this space will be too small" Thank you !!!

Tamara said: (((*okei*))) thank you

okei said:  Thanks all! I would like to continue the arc of thought of her father... it makes me think of Freedom. We are all enclosed by our world and circumstances in various ways. And we must find our freedom within this world, to reclaim that which is ours. And sometimes this means to break down barriers into a new and bigger world, but this involves facing more unpredictability, more dangers and more choices... with more freedoms, and yet we are still not truly free...

Indeed, she has a very distinctive face, perhaps because of her native American roots. They call her a Mexican/American/Canadian singer, but she was beyond those kinds of labels. (And she sang songs in Spanish, French and English.)

Excerpt from which the above interview was taken with selections of her music and music she liked:
http://www.cbc.ca/apropos/episode/2010/01/16/january-16-17-2010/ 

Song of the Dark Night (St. John of the Cross)

St. John of the Cross, “Song of the Dark Night”  (translated by —okei)

On a dark and windy night
With all my passions in love’s ardour pressed
O fortuitous delight!
I left without being witnessed,
My house now lying asleep in peaceful rest.

By darkness I took safe flight
Down the secret stair in concealment dressed
O fortuitous delight!
By disguise of darkness blessed
My house now lying asleep in peaceful rest.

I went out on that lucky night
Unseen I skipped in secret yearning
Not a soul crossing my sight
Without light or guide discerning
Save that flame which in my heart was burning.

This light guided me and shone
More surely than the midday sun and true
To where was waiting for me one
Who knew me well and well I knew
At that place where none appeared in view.

O dark night that was my guide!
O dark night more friendly than the dawn!
O dark night that joined the bride,
Beloved to her Lover drawn,
Lover into his Beloved re-born!

Within my flowering breast
Which entirely to him alone I swear
There he stayed in quiet rest
And all my gifts I gave him there
And the cedars too lent their breezy air.

The air down from the ramparts fanned
When I parted his hair, brushing each lock.
With the touch of his tranquil hand
In my neck I felt a shock
And all my senses stopped as still as rock.

Thoughts and memories released
Once the face upon the Lover laid.
All endeavours ceased —
Forgotten to myself I stayed,
Old cares amongst the lilies left to fade.

The last line echoes the words of Jesus:

Behold the lilies of the field; they neither spin nor weave, yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Paintings: “Monseigneur Love” by Thomas Cooper Gotch, “Solitude” by Albert Lorieux & “Blonde Nymph” by Paul Émile Chabas.

Thanks to Jon for linking Loreena McKennitt's rendition of this poem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km3zQkMl0iI

Montserrat Figueras (1942-2011)

I was very sad to learn that the singer of early music Montserrat Figueras had passed away at the end of last year.

 If you have ten minutes, you might enjoy her "Song of Sibil", composed in the 13th century, that was banned for several centuries because it was in Catalan. http://youtu.be/iF1VClOAeyE
 

It is a liturgical piece about that day when "the eternal king will come dressed in our mortal flesh...to pass judgment on the century", ending with: "You who have heard all this, pray passionately to God with all your heart and devotion to bring us salvation".

In this short interview she gave in 2010, she discusses how her music crosses cultures and boundaries, reflecting our common aspirations. In the background she plays and sings a piece from "Francisco Javier - La Ruta de Oriente" with Jordi Savall and the Hesperion XXI ensemble.

Mortal Love

Waiting in Love's maddening strife,

With what great sorrows she is fraught!

Because her ends are not cut short,

She will be cutting short my life.

Your cruelty on this mortal plane

Against what's well-deserved to be

Is that you have withheld from me

The remedy to cure my pain.

And Glory's long-expected boon

Serves more to anguish than elate;

My life grows shorter as I wait —

Why won't its end be coming soon?

— from 16th century Spain

The image is 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' by Arthur Hughes.