SPANISH POEMS # 3

 

 

Volverán las oscuras golondrinas                  The swift dark swallows will return

en tu balcón sus nidos a colgar,                     their nests from your balcony to hang,

y otra vez con el ala a sus cristales                and again their wings against your window

           jugando llamarán.                                             will knock and play.

Pero aquellas que el vuelo refrenaban           But those which their flying would stop

tu hermosura y mi dicha al contemplar,         your beauty and my joy to contemplate,

aquellas que aprendieron nuestros nombres, those which even learnt our names...,

         ésas ... ¡ no volverán !                                    those.....  will not return ¡

 

Volverán las tupidas madreselvas                  The dense honeysuckle will return

de tu jardín las tapias a escalar,                     the high walls of your garden to climb,

y otra vez a la tarde aún más hermosas,        and again, at dusk, even prettier,

          sus flores se abrirán.                                  will show their flowers, white.

Pero aquellas cuajadas de rocío,                        But those brimming with dew

cuyas gotas mirábamos temblar                     which trembling drops we used to watch,

y caer como lágrimas del día...                     and fell like glad tears of the day,

         ésas ....!no volverán¡                                 those .....  will not return ¡

 

  Volverán del amor en tus oidos                   Ardent words of love will return

las palabras ardientes a sonar;                        in your ears to sound;

tu corazón de su profundo sueño                  your heart from its deep dream

           tal vez despertará.                                    will awake,  perhaps.

Pero mudo y absorto y de rodillas,                But quiet, captivated, on my knees,

como se adora a Dios ante su altar,               like they adore God in his altar,

como yo te he querido..., desengáñate,         like I have loved you.., don't fool y'self,

          ¡así no te querrán¡                                     no one will ever do ¡

 

 

The above is one of the most famous poems of  Spanish poetry. Almost 9 out of 10 persons of any age, will remember at least one or two verses. And again it belongs to :

Gustavo Adolfo Becquer (1836-1870)

Someone told me all the poems are too romantic, so I am giving him something more in funny side :

 

 Una mujer y un gato                                     A wooman and a cat,

domestico yo a la vez,                                   I am mastering alike;

los arañazos que tengo                                   but the scratches I have

son todos de la mujer.                                               are all from the wife.

 

Manuel del Palacio (1832-1906)  Of course it sounds very "machista"; but considering the times it was written, it´s ok.

That is all for today   Sunday July 13^th.2009. Angel