Prologue
I offered you midnight, the stars guiding the sheep,
leading the straw wagons into dawn
into the cold, early spring blooming wallflowers.
If you look at these, it is I for you.
What you liked for me—
marshmallowy sugar mint of the caresses of the sea
and the healing incense coming to be,
if you look at these, it is I for you my dear.
Author: Rafael Alberti
Translator: Manny Grimaldi
22 thoughts on "Prologue"
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A beautiful poem. Thank you for translating it.
there’s so much more Felipe
Great!
eye see you…..
This is a complete treat. Beautiful love poem.
thank you beautiful one
Yes !
Just the “it is I for you” alone makes this sing.
the wraparound refrain
yes
Beautiful poem Thanks for the translation.
Nice to see you here.
Lovely, Manny. Marshmallowy is such the word.
Hi Bill, it’s a soft, pillowy word, so unexpected all the same.
So many beautiful lines, especially the first one:
“I offered you midnight, the stars guiding the sheep,”
Nice. Looking forward to reading more of your poems and translations this month.
I’ve got an interesting 29 days left up the proverbial
sleeve Tom C. because I couldn’t sit still for weeks and
went to work on material enough to fill the silos, plus
keep a family of cats to eviscerate the rats. I won’t write
another word God help me. Except in comments sections. Now, what kind of work it was is a surprise.
“marshmallowy sugar mint of the caresses of the sea” Amazing. Great work, man.
I like how so many of the senses are evoked in this poem
Manny – This poem has such a dreamy, other worldly quality. Such a romantic aura!
I love him as a subject, thank you
Thanks for this captivating translation!
hello Ellen!