Hi folks! I hope that this finds you all well…
I just wanted to share with you a photo of this morning’s sunrise (yes, yet another one!). So here it is…
The sunrise reminded me of one of Shakespeare’s verses — I had to read him for my English literature O-levels while studying at Gumley House Convent School for girls in Isleworth, London. Here are the first four lines of his Sonnet 33. (I haven’t included the following ten lines because it’s a little more depressing and saddens the tone of what was a lovely sunrise, but if you want to read the full sonnet, you can do so here!)
Sonnet 33
William Shakespeare (April 1564 — April 23, 1616)
Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye,
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy …
As you might already know, Shakespeare was an ‘English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s greatest dramatist.’ (Wiki) He was also known as England’s national poet or simply, the Bard of Avon. To read more of his biography you can take a look at this link.
Also, I couldn’t resist including one of Federico Lorca García’s poems, entitled Alba (Dawn). His full name was Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca. He was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. Tragically, he was killed by Nationalist forces at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. His remains have never been found.
(Below is the English translation.)
DAWN
Federico García Lorca (June 5, 1898 — August 18, 1936)
My oppressed heart
Sits next to the dawn
The pain of its loves
And the dream of the distances
The light of the dawn brings
Seedbeds of nostalgias
And the sadness without eyes
Of the marrow of the soul.
The great tomb of the night
Its black veil rises
To conceal with the day
The immense starry summit.
What will I do about these fields
Picking nests and branches
Surrounded by dawn
And full of night in the soul!
What will I do if your eyes are
Dead to the clear light
And if my flesh will no longer feel
The heat of your gaze!
Why did I lose you forever
In that clear evening?
Today my chest is arid
Like a shut-off star.
And if you feel like practising your Spanish, here is the original version:
ALBA
Federico García Lorca (junio 5, 1898 — agosto 18, 1936)
Mi corazón oprimido
Siente junto a la alborada
El dolor de sus amores
Y el sueño de las distancias.
La luz de la aurora lleva
Semilleros de nostalgias
Y la tristeza sin ojos
De la médula del alma.
La gran tumba de la noche
Su negro velo levanta
Para ocultar con el día
La inmensa cumbre estrellada.
¡Qué haré yo sobre estos campos
Cogiendo nidos y ramas
Rodeado de la aurora
Y llena de noche el alma!
¡Qué haré si tienes tus ojos
Muertos a las luces claras
Y no ha de sentir mi carne
El calor de tus miradas!
¿Por qué te perdí por siempre
En aquella tarde clara?
Hoy mi pecho está reseco
Como una estrella apagada.
Well, that’s all for the mo… thanks for visiting and take care! xxx
An English Lady in Cordova 
What a fabulous dawn photo. It’s still pretty early here (checks phone app 05.30 this morning). I really don’t know any of the sonnets of Shakespeare and I rather liked that one. I have no experience of Lorca at all and rather like the sound of it in Spanish. I imagine it’s quite cool at that time of the day?
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Hello Lisa – yes it goes down to about 19 degrees in the morning which is some respite from the heat!
Lorca writes beautifully, he’s really worth a read, whether it his poems or novels.
I hope you’re enjoying your days off, bird spotting, painting and visiting places. Have fun!
Me gustaMe gusta