Alfonsina y el mar (Alfonsina and the sea)
Honestly, Iâm translating this because I feel like it and because I want to talk about this hauntingly beautiful song and the story behind it.
The story behind what inspired the song:
Alfonsina Storni was an argentine poet who had breast cancer and treated it the first time but was not willing to go through the same process a second time when it came back, so in true Alfonsina Storni form a woman with a strong character that let no one lead her life, she decided to handle it her way, she had already voiced her thoughts about suicide on a poem when her friend (Alleged lover) and poet Horacio Quiroga committed suicide, I find the poem slightly eerie because it kind of foretell her own death
She traveled to Mar del Plata, a city located on the Atlantic coast, she stayed there a few days and wrote her last poem âMe voy a dormirâ (Iâm going to sleep) and send it to the journal La NaciĂłn.
The song pays homage and is slightly inspired by the last poem and the way Alfonsina Storni committed suicide.
There are many versions out there of this tragically beautiful song, my favorites are the original version by Mercedes Sosa and this cover by Amaia (starts at 1:35). Mind you this is not a proper translation because Iâm not a professional translator there might be a few mistakes here and there I just wanted to share this song because is so beautiful. You should definitely check some of her work or read about her, she was an impressive person.
Por la blanda arena que lame el mar
By the soft sand that the sea licks
Su pequeña huella no vuelve mås
Her small footprint wonât come back
Un sendero solo de pena y silencio llegĂł
A path only of sorrows and silence arrived
Un sendero solo de penas mudas llegĂł
A path only of unspoken sorrows arrived
Sabe Dios que angustia te acompañó
God only knows what anguish accompanied you
Que dolores viejos callĂł tu voz
What old pains your voice silenced
Para recostarte arrullada en el canto de las
To lay down lulled to sleep by the singing of the
La canciĂłn que canta en el fondo oscuro del mar
The song that is sang in the dark depths of the sea by
Te vas Alfonsina con tu soledad
You leave Alfonsina with your loneliness
¿Qué poemas nuevos fuiste a buscar?
What new poems did you went to find?
Una voz antigua de viento y de sal
An old voice of wind and salt
Te requiebra el alma y la estĂĄ llevando
Breaks your soul and is taking it
Y te vas hacia allå, como en sueños
And you go over there, like in a dream
Dormida, Alfonsina, vestida de mar
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed by the sea
Cinco sirenitas te llevarĂĄn
Five little mermaids will take you
Por caminos de algas y de coral
Through paths of seaweed and coral
Y fosforescentes caballos marinos harĂĄn
And phosphorescent seahorses will make
Y los habitantes del agua van a jugar
And the inhabitants of the waters will play
BĂĄjame la lĂĄmpara un poco mĂĄs
Lower the lights a little bit more
DĂ©jame que duerma Nodriza en paz
Let me sleep, nursemaid, in peace
Y si llama Ă©l no le digas que estoy
And if he calls, donât tell him Iâm here
Dile que Alfonsina no vuelve
Tell him that Alfonsina wonât come back
Y si llama Ă©l no le digas nunca que estoy
And if he calls donât ever tell him Iâm here
Te vas Alfonsina con tu soledad
You leave, Alfonsina with your loneliness
¿Qué poemas nuevos fuiste a buscar?
What new poems did you went to find?
Una voz antigua de viento y de sal
An old voice of wind and salt
Te requiebra el alma y la estĂĄ llevando
Breaks your soul and is taking it
Y te vas hacia allå como en sueños
And you go over there, like in a dream
Dormida, Alfonsina, vestida de mar
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed by the sea
annaxmalina
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