Lorca's Madrigal á cibdá de Santiago

Lorca's poem, with two translations.


Madrigal á cibdá de Santiago

Chove en Santiago
meu doce amor.
Camelia branca do ar
brila entebrecida ó sol.

Chove en Santiago
na noite escrura.
Herbas de prata e de sono
cobren a valeira lúa.

Olla a choiva pola rúa,
laio de pedra e cristal.
Olla o vento esvaído
soma e cinza do teu mar.

Soma e cinza do teu mar
Santiago, lonxe do sol.
Agoa da mañán anterga
trema no meu corazón.

--

Madrigal for the City of Santiago

It is raining in Santiago
my dear love.
White sky camellia
shining darkly beneath the sun.

It is raining in Santiago
this dark night.
Plants, argent and dreaming,
obscure an empty moon.

Behold the rain in the street,
a plaint of stone and glass.
Behold the hollow wind
ashen shadow of your sea.

Ashen shadow of your sea
Santiago, far from the sun.
Waters of an ancient morning
shiver in my heart.

(my translation)

--

Madrigal for the City of Santiago (rhyming I)

Rain in Santiago
rain my darling one.
Rain, that white camellia,
that shines without the sun

Rain in Santiago
through this night so dark.
Silvery dreamlit grasses
obscure an empty lunar arc.

Behold the rain upon the street,
mineral cry of stone and glass.
Behold the hollow wending wind
merely shadow, merely ash.

Merely shadow, merely ash.
Santiago, far from the sun.
Waters of an ancient morning
upon my heart, my darling one.

(my translation)

--

Madrigal for the City of Santiago

It rains on Santiago
my sweet love.
White camellia of air,
sunlight in a veil.

It rains on Santiago,
in the dark night.
Grass of silver and dream
covers the empty moon.

See the rain in the streets,
the lament of stone and glass.
See on the fading wind
your sea’s shadow and ash.

Your sea’s shadow and ash,
Santiago, far from the sun:
shivering in my heart,
water of ancient dawn.


(Translation by A. S. Kline) [more here]