Peter is right that the original Spanish is beautiful. For those of us
who are a little lean on the high school Spanish, Robert Bly did quite a
good job of translating, below. He translated a book of Machado poems
and has a body of fine work of his own.
Mea
Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt -- marvelous error!—
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?
Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt -- marvelous error!—
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.
Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt -- marvelous error!—
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.
Last night, as I slept,
I dreamt -- marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.
Peter L Borst wrote:
> Diana wrote:
>> Can the un-translated poem be posted? I can read Spanish and the poem will
>> make better sense un-translated.
>
> Anoche cuando dormía
>
> Anoche cuando dormía
> soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
> que una fontana fluía
> dentro de mi corazón.
> Di, ¿por qué acequia escondida,
> agua, vienes hasta mí,
> manantial de nueva vida
> de donde nunca bebí?
>
> Anoche cuando dormía
> soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
> que una colmena tenía
> dentro de mi corazón;
> y las doradas abejas
> iban fabricando en él,
> con las amarguras viejas
> blanca cera y dulce miel.
>
> Anoche cuando dormía
> soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
> que un ardiente sol lucía
> dentro de mi corazón.
> Era ardiente porque daba
> calores de rojo hogar,
> y era sol porque alumbraba
> y porque hacía llorar.
>
> Anoche cuando dormía
> soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
> que era Dios lo que tenía
> dentro de mi corazón.
>
> Antonio Machado
>
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