Prospero's Choice: Mercedes Sosa 'Alfonsina y el Mar'

(^^TONIGHT!^^)

This is Prospero's little tribute to one of Argentina and South American music's greatest  and bravest artists,  singing a most beautiful song (translated lyrics below). Mercedes Sosa, La Negra, was known as The Voice of the Voiceless Ones, particularly during the many military dictatorships in her native country. Sosa performed in venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City, the Théâtre Mogador in Paris and even in the Sistine Chapel, as well as sell-out shows in New York's Carnegie Hall and the Roman Coliseum during her final decade of life. Her career spanned four decades and she has been the recipient of several Grammy awards and nominations, including three nominations which will be decided posthumously. She served as an ambassador for UNICEF. She died on October 4. Hasta luego, Negra, y tantas gracias por todo...

(Read more about her on Wikipedia)

(A tribute to Chilean poet Alfonsina Storni, who drowned herself in the sea, by Ariel Ramírez and Félix Luna - translated by Alberto Bullrich)


Por la blanda arena / Along the soft sand
Que lame el mar / That licks at the sea
Su pequeña huella / Her little footsteps
No vuelve más / Will never return
Un sendero solo / A lonely path
De pena y silencio llegó / Of sorrow and silence reached
Hasta el agua profunda / The deep water
Un sendero solo / A lonely path
De penas mudas llegó / of silent sorrows arrived
Hasta la espuma. / At the foam.

Sabe Dios qué angustia / God knows what anguish
Te acompañó / Accompanied you
Qué dolores viejos / What old agonies
Calló tu voz / Silenced your voice
Para recostarte / For you to kay down
Arrullada en el canto / Lulled by the songs
De las caracolas marinas / Of the sea conch shells
La canción que canta / The song that is sung
En el fondo oscuro del mar / In the deep depths of the sea
La caracola. / By the conch shell.

Te vas Alfonsina / You are gone, Alfonsina
Con tu soledad / With your sorrows
¿Qué poemas nuevos / What new poems
Fuíste a buscar? / Have you gone to seek?
Una voz antigua / An ancient voice
De viento y de sal / Of wind and salt
Te requiebra el alma / Tortures your soul
Y la está llevando / And is taking her there
Y te vas hacia allá / And you are going there
Como en sueños / Like in a dream
Dormida, Alfonsina / Asleep, Alfonsina
Vestida de mar. / Dresssed by the sea

Cinco sirenitas / Five little mermaids
Te llevarán / Will take you away
Por caminos de algas / Along paths of seaweed
Y de coral / And coral
Y fosforescentes / And phosphorescent
Caballos marinos harán / Sea horses will
Una ronda a tu lado / Will dance around you
Y los habitantes / And the inhabitants
Del agua van a jugar / Of the sea will play
Pronto a tu lado. / Soon beside you.

Bájame la lámpara / Lower the lamp
Un poco más / A little more
Déjame que duerma / Leave me to sleep
Nodriza, en paz / Nursemaid, in peace
Y si llama él / And if he calls
No le digas que estoy, dile que, / Don't say I am here, say,
Alfonsina no vuelve / Alfonsina will never return
Y si llama él / And if he calls
No le digas nunca que estoy / Never tell him I'm here
Di que me he ido. / Tell him I've gone.

Te vas Alfonsina / You are gone, Alfonsina
Con tu soledad / With your sorrows
¿Qué poemas nuevos / What new poems
Fuíste a buscar? / Have you gone to seek?
Una voz antigua / An ancient voice
De viento y de sal / Of wind and salt
Te requiebra el alma / Tortures your soul
Y la está llevando / And is taking her there
Y te vas hacia allá / And you are going there
Como en sueños / Like in a dream
Dormida, Alfonsina / Asleep, Alfonsina
Vestida de mar. / Dressed by the sea