The weeping of the guitar
begins.
The goblets of dawn
are smashed.
The weeping of the guitar
begins.
Useless
to silence it.
Impossible
to silence it.
It weeps monotonously
as water weeps
as the wind weeps
over snowfields.
Impossible
to silence it.
It weeps for distant
things.
Hot southern sands
yearning for white camellias.
Weeps arrow without target
evening without morning
and the first dead bird
on the branch.
Oh, guitar!
Heart mortally wounded
by five swords.
Leave a guest comment (subject to review)
Comments
-
Five swords
From guest Roberto (contact)
I think that the poem is about the feelings that a person could experience when playing the guitar (lorca was a guitarist) and I believe that the five swords represent the five fingers of the right hand that a persons uses to strum the guitar where it has the sound hole that is also known as the heart of the guitar. And it is true that this poem sounds way better in spanish! -
my opinion
From guest Patty T. (contact)
I like this peom... but i do believe that it sounds better in Spanish, Lorca had a great style of showing his emotions and I'm a little disappointed that it didn't fulfill his greatness. I'm a native Spanish speaker and I love Lorca's work; from La Casa de Bernarda Alba, to la Guitara. Thank You. But overall, it's a nice poem -
-
A poet's work will always sound better in his/her native language. We try to include originals and translations wherever possible.
Jim
OLDPOETRY TEAM
-
-
my interpretation
From guest kayla (contact)
i think it describes a man in mexico. possibly an "outlaw" almost like desperado. maybe his life has gone wrong and he plays the guitar solemnly. the guitar may be all he has. at the end when it talks about the swords, it could symbolize his life hitting rock bottom or coming to an end -
agh
From guest kayla contact)
this poem is amazing however i believ the spanish version is better it sounds more like federico himself.also im pretty sure those arent the exact words. -
-
other translation of this poem !
From guest moses (contact)
last month i saw a film by julian bream about the history of guitar development that begins by reading this beautiful poem by narrator but with different words & clauses in english ! i do believe that version was a little more beautiful than this one & i am in search of exact words of it & name of its translator ! i make a great thanks to everyone who could help me about that ? -
I think
From guest Shez (contact)
I think that this poem is describing life starting with birth up until death. I think it is trying to show the darker more distressing side of life. The lines, " The weeping of the guitar begins. The goblets of dawn are smashed. The weeping of the guitar begins. Useless to silence it." Are describing the crying of a baby, and as the poem progresses it shows life up to death. But im not sure this is just what i felt from this poem. -
-
Hey
From guest Scott (contact)
Can Some one please explain to me what this poem is trying to say? I am still new to poetry i am having very difficult time understanding. Thanks -
From guest cassie (contact)
I am supposed to be memorizing this poem in my english class but some of the words on here are different from in my text book. Are you sure this one is correct?? -
-
what was the origin?
does anyone know what the origin was?
Adding your comment:
