A poem written by Federico García Lorca (1898-1936), who was considered to be one of the greatest poets and playwrights that Spain ever produced. Lorca was part of a group known as Generación del 27 (Generation of '27) which included well-known artists such as Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel. He was also part of the more well-known Harlem Rennaisance during the late 20s. During the Spanish Civil War, intellectuals were considered dangerous to Franco's dictatorship. Lorca was shot in a cemetary by Franquist soldiers and his books were burned and later banned.
The poem describes a man riding to his homeland of Córdoba. He knows that only death awaits him at the gates yet he continues his journey. Lorca wrote this poem to describe his feelings about returing to Spain during the war. Death is represented in many ways in this poem. It is represented by the moon, the defeated black horse, and by the towers from where death is watching him.
Canción Del Jinete
Córdoba.
Lejana y Solá.
Jaca negra, luna grande,
y aceitunas en my alforja.
Aunque sepa los caminos,
yo nunca llegare a Cordoba.
Por el llano, por el viento,
jaca negra, luna roja.
La muerte me está mirando,
desde las torres de Córdoba.
¡Ay qué camino tan largo!
¡Ay my jaca valerosa!
¡Ay que la muerte me espara,
antes de llegar a Cordoba!
Córdoba.
Lejana y solá.
My Rough Translation: (Kudos to my Spanish II & III teacher)
Song of the Rider
Córdoba.
Distant and isolated.
Black
nag, large moon,
and olives in my
saddlebag.
Although I know the way,
I will never return to Córdoba.
For the plains, for the wind,
Black nag, red moon.
The dead are watching me
from the towers of Córdoba.
Oh, so long a road!
Oh, my brave nag!
Oh, the dead hope for me,
before returning to Córdoba!
Córdoba.
Distant and isolated.