May, 1993 - Stratford...have been reading through the poetry of 15th century
Spain, and I find myself drawn to one by the mystic writer and visionary St.
John of the Cross; the untitled work is an exquisite, richly metaphoric love
poem between himself and his god. It could pass as a love poem between any two
at any time...His approach seems more akin to early Islamic or Judaic works in
its more direct route of communication to his god...I have gone over three
different translations of the poem, and am struck by how much a translation can
alter our interpretation. Am reminded that most holy scriptures come to us in
translation, resulting in a diversity of views.
Mai 1993 - Stratford...pendant la lecture de poetes espagnols du XVe siecle, me
voila fascinee par un poeme du mystique et visionnaire Saint Jean de la Croix;
l'oeuvre sans titre est un poeme d'amour metaphorique, d'une beaute exquise,
pour son dieu. Cela pourrait etre un chant d'amour entre deux etres de
n'importe quelle epoque, n'importe quel pays...Par son expression si directe
envers son dieu, le poeme s'apparente plus aux oeuvres de l'islam ancien ou du
judaisme...J'ai lu trois traductions differentes de l'oeuvre et je suis frappee
par les grandes varietes d'interpretation. Cela me rappelle que la plupart des
livres sacres nous sont parvenus sous forme de traductions, creant ainsi une
multitude d'interpretations.
Mai 1993 - Stratford...Habe mich durch die spanische Literatur des 15.
Jahrhunderts gelesen und fuehle mich angezogen von einem Stueck des mystischen
Schreibers und Sehers, der Heilige Johannes des Kreuzes; bei dieser Arbeit ohne
Titel handelt es sich um ein ausgezeichnetes, metaphorisches Liebesgedicht
zwischen ihm und seinem Gott. Es koennte jederzeit als Liebesgedicht zwischen
irgendwelchen zwei Menschen durchgehen...Seine Art der Kommunikation mit seinem
Gott, die so direkt ist, scheint den fruehen islamischen und judaeischen
Arbeiten viel naeher zu sein...Ich habe mir drei verschiedene Uebersetzungen
des Gedichtes angesehen und bin ueberrascht, wie sehr eine Uebersetzung unsere
Interpretation veraendern kann. Man sei hier erinnert, dass die meisten
heiligen Aufzeichnungen als Uebersetzung zu uns gelangen, was eine Vielfalt der
Sichtweisen zur Folge hat.
Mayo de 1993 - Stratford...he estado leyendo poesia espanola del siglo XV, y he
sentido una enorme atraccion por el mistico y visionario San Jan de la Cruz; el
trabajo sin titulo es un exquisito poema de amor entre el y su Dios muy rico en
metaforas. Puede pasar por un poema de amor entre dos personas de cualquier
epoca...Su enfoque parece mas bien del estilo de los primeros trabajos
islamicos o judios en su via mas directa de communicacion con Dios...he leido
tres traducciones diferentes del poema, y quede impresionada al ver lo que una
traduccion puede alterar un poema. Recuerdo que la mayoria de las escrituras
sagradas las conocemos por traducciones, creando asi una multitud de
interpretaciones.
Upon a darkened night
the flame o love was burning in my breast
And by a lantern bright
I fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the night
and by the secret star I quikly fled
The veil concealed my eyes
while all within lay quiet as the dead
Chorus:
Oh night though was my guide
oh night more loving than the rising sun
Oh night that joined the lover
to the beloved one
transforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty night
in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight
Without a guide or light
than that which burned so deeply in my heart
That fire t'was led me on
and shone more bright than of the midday sun
To where he waited still
it was a place where no one else could come
(Chorus)
Within my poinding heart
which kept itself entirely for him
He fell into his sleep
beneath the cedars all my love I gave
>From o'er the fortress walls
the wind would brush his hair against his brow
And with its smoothest hand
caressed my every sense it would allow
(Chorus)
I lost myself to him
and laid my face upon my lovers breast
And care and grief grew dim
as in the mornings mist became the light
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
Lyrics: St. John of the Cross,
arranged and adapted by L.M.
Music: L.M.
L.M. - vocals, synthesizers
Brian Hughes - guitar, electric sitar
Hugh Marsh - fiddle
George Koller - cello, esraj
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