Qasida of the Dark Doves

 

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Through the laurel’s branches 
I saw two dark doves.
One was the sun,
the other the moon.

Little neighbors, I called,
where is my tomb?
In my tail, said the sun.
In my throat, said the moon.

And I who was walking
with the earth at my waist
saw two snowy eagles
and a naked girl.

The one was the other
and the girl was neither.

Little eagles, I called,
where is my tomb?
In my tail, said the sun.
In my throat, said the moon.

Through the laurel’s branches
I saw two naked doves.
The one was the other
and both of them neither.


—Federico García Lorca
Catherine Brown version

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