Horseman's Song
Cordoba.
Distant and alone.
A black nag, the giant moon,
and olives in my saddlebag.
Even if I know the way,
I never will reach Cordoba.
Over the plain, through the wind,
A black nag, the bloody moon.
The Reaper is watching me
From the tall towers of Cordoba.
Oh, such a long road!
Oh, my valiant nag!
Oh, the Reaper awaits me
before I ever reach Cordoba!
Cordoba.
Distant and alone.
- Translation, Charles W. Johnson
3 comments:
Hey Dr. Copeland,
Sorry this has nothing to do with Lorca, but I thought you might find this interesting:
Shutdown Day.org
I'm totally doing this, and encouraging everyone I know to as well. I know how tech savvy you are, so I thought I'd let you know about it.
-Aaron
Crystal Whatley offers a translation:
I was checking the blog tonight, and saw that you had found a translation of "Canción del jinete". The translation is good, but Charles W. Johnson did take some artistic license. I would have translated it this way:
Rider's Song
Cordoba.
Distant and alone.
Black mare, big moon,
and olives in my saddlebag.
Although I were to know the paths,
I will never arrive at Cordoba.
Through the plain, through the wind,
black mare, red moon.
Death is watching me
from the towers of Cordoba.
Oh, what a long path!
Oh, my valient mare!
Oh, how death waits for me,
before arriving at Cordoba!
Cordoba.
Distant and alone.
i do prefer calling it Death over The Reaper. The Reaper makes me laugh more than anything. It doesn't convey the same emotion.
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