Song of the Withered Orange-tree.

This is my favourite little Lorca poem. It's a good one for out-loud practice, preferably in the middle of a field somewhere; and it's simple to learn.

Canción del Naranjo Seco

Leñador.
Córtame la sombra.
Líbrame del suplicio
de verme sin toronjas.

¿Por qué nací entre espejos?
El día me da vueltas.
Y la noche me copia
en todas sus estrellas.

Quiero vivir sin verme.
Y hormigas y vilanos,
soñaré que son mis
hojas y mis pájaros.

Leñador.
Córtame la sombra.
Líbrame del suplicio
de verme sin toronjas.

J L Gili's translation:

Woodcutter.
Cut my shadow.
Deliver me from the torture
of beholding myself fruitless.

Why was I born surrounded by mirrors?
The day turns round me.
And the night reproduces me
in each of her stars.

I want to live without seeing myself.
And I shall dream
that ants and hawks
are my leaves and birds.

Woodcutter.
Cut my shadow.
Deliver me from the torture
of beholding myself fruitless.

Some sources show this poem with a dedication: 'A Carmen Morales'.

I haven't been able to find anything about her and Lorca. I imagine she is Carmen Morales the actress (in films:Una nueva primavera (1940), Las uvas de la ira (1940)- The Grapes of Wrath - and Los amantes de la noche (1949)), but there's nothing out there about her, except the names of her films and some photos.

We have a new Carmen Morales, actress, now (School Killer, Hotel Danubio): the daughter of Rocío Dúrcal and Antonio Morales (aka Junior). Their story in Spanish.

Here's a suberb Lorca resource: Poesía de Federico García Lorca.

Image: Orange-tree mosaic © 1998 Lindsay Violet Mary Farrell.