Category Federico García Lorca

The herd of goats passed wherethe river flows.In the sapphire pink afternoonheavy with romantic peace,I watchthe great billy goat. Greetings, mute demon,you most intense of animals,eternal mysticof hellmade flesh… So many spellsin your beard,on your broad brow,you brute Don Juan!Such…

The dream came apart for good! In the rain-swept afternoonmy heart discoversthe tragedy of autumnraining from the trees. And in the sweet sadnessof the dying landscapemy voices cracked.The dream came apart for good.For good!Snow’s fellingon the barren fieldof my life;everywhere…

I rode astridea billy goat.Grandfather said to me:‘Your way lies there.’‘Yes, yes’, shouted my shadow,dressed like a beggar.My clothes said:‘It’s paved with gold!’A great swan winked and said:‘Follow me!’and a snake bitmy pilgrim smock. I looked at the sky and…

The seasmiles from afar.Teeth of foam,lips of sky. ‘What do you sell, young,troubled, bare-breasted woman?’ ‘Sir, the water of the seas.’ ‘What is it that’s mixed, dark boy,with your blood?’ ‘Sir, the water of the seas.’ ‘Where do those salt…

In the still night the children sing.Clear stream, calm fountain! THE CHILDREN What’s in your festive godly heart? IA toll of bells lost in mist. THE CHILDRENNow you leave us singing on the little square, clear stream, calm fountain!What do…

My heart rests beside the cool fountain. (Fill it with your thread, spider of oblivion.)The fountain water sang it its song. (Fill it with your thread, spider of oblivion.)My wakened heart told of its loves. (Spider of silence spin it…

IHappy children emergefrom schoolsending tender songsinto mild April air.Such joy for the deepsilence of the alleyway!A silence smashed to piecesby bright new silver laughter. III take the afternoon pathamong orchard flowersleaving on the waythe water of my sadness.On the lonely…

I’m petrifiedby dead leaves,by meadowsfull of dew.I’ll sleep.If you don’t wake me,I’ll leave beside you my cold heart. ‘What’s that soundso far away?’‘Love.The wind on the panes,my love!’ Round your neck I placedthe gems of dawn.Why do you desert meon…

Like a censer filled with desires,you pass through clear evening,flesh dark as spent spikenard;your face pure sex. On your mouth, dead chastity’smelancholy; in your womb’sDionysian chalice the spider weaves a barren veilto hide flesh spurned by living roses,the fruit of…

My heart’s a butterfly,good children of the field,pinned by time’s grey spider,filled with disillusionment’s deadly pollen. When I was a boy I sang like you,good children of the field,I let loose my sparrow-hawkwith its four frightful cat-claws.I went through Cartagena’s…