Empieza el llanto
de la guitarra.
Se rompen las copas
de la madrugada.
Empieza el llanto
de la guitarra.
Es inútil
callarla.
Es imposible
callarla.
Llora monótona
como llora el agua,
como llora el viento
sobre la nevada.
Es imposible
callarla.
Llora por cosas
lejanas.
Arena del Sur caliente
que pide camelias blancas.
Llora flecha sin blanco,
la tarde sin mañana,
y el primer pájaro muerto
sobre la rama.
¡Oh guitarra!
Corazón malherido
por cinco espadas.
English Translation
The Guitar
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.
Notes
english translation: Cola Franzen, Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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Comments
-
pit flyz
From guest pit flyz (contact)
the last line cinco espadas translates out to five spades and refer to the flamenco guitar playing style which uses all five fingers. five swords is a bad translation and would be better translated as five fingers -
From guest Charles McGann (contact)
This is a beautifully constructed poem, that brings tears to my eyes and gives me an erection every time i read it. -
Quick comment
From guest Martyn (contact)
Llora flecha sin blanco Feels better translated as either "As an/the arrow weeps without a target" or simply "Weeps an/the arrow without a target" Lovely poem BTW -
-
From guest jamie (contact)
la guitarra no es correcto de mi!
MOD MESSAGE
Could you please tell us which part you consider is incorrect (and your source). -
:)
From guest kayla contact)
wat more can i say other than its amazing!
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