The Last Song - Miguel Hernandez

[Xipe Totec]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pm-cQ9xQnE

Painted, not empty:
my house is painted
in the colors
of great passions and tragedies.

The empty dinner table,
and noisy bed will return
from the tears to which
they were taken.

Kisses will blossom on the pillows,
And sheets will rise over bodies
entangled like vines
nocturnal and perfumed.

Hatred will vanish
behind the windows.

Claws will be softened.


Leave me hope, at least.

(Written in prison, from which he never returned)

Cancion ultima

Pintada, no vacía:
pintada está mi casa
del color de las grandes
pasiones y desgracias.

Regresará del llanto
adonde fue llevada
con su desierta mesa
con su ruidosa cama.

Florecerán los besos
sobre las almohadas.
Y en torno de los cuerpos
elevará la sábana
su intensa enredadera
nocturna, perfumada.

El odio se amortigua
detrás de la ventana.

Será la garra suave.

Dejadme la esperanza

[Judi Lynn]

1. Thanks for introducing another legendary poet/singer some of us haven't heard yet.

Had to look up his biography. Was sad in hearing he was imprisoned by the Spanish fascists for his political convictions, and he suffered for knowing his wife and child were suffering without him, and that a fatal illness claimed him.


Looked up a song I saw reccommended at Amazon where I went to hear another sample of his work, "Umbrío Por la Pena." This is the only vocal version I could find which was sung by the poet, although there were multiple chances to hear people reading the poem itself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nOr5oBaZnQ

Lyrics, and translation:

UMBRIO POR LA PENA
Umbrío por la pena, casi bruno,

porque la pena tizna cuando estalla,

donde yo no me hallo no se halla

hombre más apenado que ninguno.

Sobre la pena duermo solo y uno,

pena es mi paz y pena mi batalla,

perro que ni me deja ni se calla,

siempre a su dueño fiel, pero importuno.

Cardos y penas llevo por corona,

cardos y penas siembran sus leopardos

y no me dejan bueno hueso alguno.

No podrá con la pena mi persona
rodeada de penas y de cardos:

¡cuánto penar para morirse uno!

°
Shadowed by sorrow, nearly black
because sorrow soots when it bursts,
where I am not, it is not
the most sorrowed man.

I sleep alone and one on the sorrow,
sorrow is my peace and sorrow my battle;
a dog that neither leaves nor lies quiet,
always faithful, but inopportune.

Thistles and pain I carry as a crown,
thistles and pain sow leopards
that do not leave a bone uncrushed.

Surrounded by sorrow and thistles
my body can bear no more.
So much sorrow only to die!

[Xipe Totec]

2. Hernandez's Lullaby of the Onion breaks my heart

Every time.

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15868