Translation from Galician to English of CANTARES GALLEGOS by Rosalia de Castro

10. Black Carnation (Quíxente tanto, meniña)

Affectionate Diminutives

alentiño. Dim. of "alento" (breath, breathing) translated: "cherished breath." Other options: easy breath, gentle breath, precious breath, soft breath, vital breath.
camiñiño. Dim. of "camiño" (path, route, trail, way) translated "lovely way" to get staggered alliteration with "San Lois." Other options: country lane, narrow path, short trail.
caraveliño. Dim. of "caravel" (carnation) translated "fair carnation." The affectionate diminutive is toned down deliberately because the same carnation is cursed three lines farther down, "Damned black carnation." Consequently embellishments such as "colourful carnation" or "beautiful carnation" which are fine elsewhere seem to me to be incongruous or inappropriate for this poem.
meniña (girl, lass). Not an affectionate diminutive.

Explanation of some words, terms or expressions

On the lovely way to San Lois (2.2). Today San Lois is part of Pontecesures, a town of 3,136 inhabitants (year 2011) situated 3.4 kilometers south of Padrón beside the river Ulla.

Yet when I crossed the river (3.7). The river Ulla.

YouTube Videos

Raquel Pato composed a short piano piece for this poem (Ms. Pato is a high-school music teacher). Her composition was recorded by Rosa Cedrón and Cristina Pato in their 2010 album Soas.

Rosa Cedrón and Cristina Pato on Galician TV (2010).

"Quíxente tanto, meniña
tívenche tan grande amor,
que para min eras lúa,
branca aurora e craro sol;
augua limpa en fresca fonte,
rosa do xardín de Dios,
alentiño do meu peito,
vida do meu corazón."

Así che falín un día
caminiño de San Lois,
todo oprimido de angustia,
todo ardente de pasión,
mentras que ti me escoitabas
depinicando unha frol,
porque eu non vise os teus ollos
que refrexaban traiciós.

Dempois que si me dixeches,
en proba de teu amor
décheme un caraveliño
que gardín no corazón.
¡Negro caravel maldito,
que me fireu de dolor!
Mais a pasar polo río,
¡o caravel afondou!...

Tan bo camiño ti leves
como o caravel levou.

"I loved you so much, lass,
I had for you such great love
That you were to me the moon,
The white dawn and the bright sun,
Clean water in a fresh fountain,
A rose of God's garden,
The cherished breath of my chest,
The life of my heart."

Thus I wooed you one day
On the lovely way to San Lois,
Entirely burdened with anguish,
Entirely burning with passion,
While you listened
Picking apart a flower
So I wouldn't spy the reflection
Of deception in your eye.

After answering, "Yes,"
You handed me as confirmation
Of your love a fair carnation
Which I kept in my heart—
Damned black carnation
That pierced me with pain!—
But when I crossed the river
The carnation fell off and sank...!

May you keep to as good a route
As the one the carnation took.

Translation from Galician to English of 11 poems by Rosalia de Castro

Archived translations from Galician to English of poems by Rosalia de Castro