Last Night as I was Sleeping by Antonio Machado [1903]

[Serena Duvet]

This mysterious poem is read by an elder, the poet Robert Bly,

reciting the poem over the ethereal sounds of a flute and accompanied by images 

of great natural beauty, creating a delight for the heart and all of the senses.

There is an especially beautiful image of snowflakes delicately falling around a tree.

[weboflife]

Just beautiful...thankyou so much.

[Serena Duvet]

I felt that Robert Bly's translation of this beautiful poem, esteemed poet that he is,
really missed the mark in one particular phrease.  I have changed his translation
of the Spanish "¡bendita ilusión!" to  "marvelous error" to my "sacred vision," along
with a few other changes.  Are there any members out there of a poetic, literary
bent that are native Spanish speakers?  The original Spanish is below my "work in progress."

Serena

My translation ~ [in progress]

Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamed...ah, sacred vision!
~ That a spring flowed
within my heart.

I said, "From what hidden source,
Oh water, do you come to me now,
oh water, from a new life that I have
never drank before?"

Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamed...ah, sacred vision!!
~ That I had a beehive
here inside my heart.

And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.

Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamed... ah, sacred vision!
~ That a fiery sun was giving
forth light within my heart.

It was fiery because I felt
warmth as if from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.

Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamed... ah, sacred vision!
~ That what I held within
my heart was God.

The poem in the original Spanish:

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé ¡bendita ilusión!
que una fontana fluía
dentro de mi corazón.
Dí: ¿por qué acequia escondida,
agua, vienes hasta mí,
manantial de nueva vida
en donde nunca bebí?

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé ¡bendita ilusión!
que una colmena tenía
dentro de mi corazón;
y las doradas abejas
iban fabricando en él,
con las amarguras viejas,
blanca cera y dulce miel.

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé ¡bendita ilusión!
que un ardiente sol lucía
dentro de mi corazón.
Era ardiente porque daba
calores de rojo hogar,
y era sol porque alumbraba
y porque hacía llorar.

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé ¡bendita ilusión!
que era Dios lo que tenía
dentro de mi corazón.