'Gacela Of The Dark Death' by Federico García Lorca


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I want to sleep the sleep of the apples,
I want to get far away from the busyness of the cemeteries.
I want to sleep the sleep of that child
who longed to cut his heart open far out at sea.

I don't want them to tell me again how the corpse keeps all its blood,
how the decaying mouth goes on begging for water.
I'd rather not hear about the torture sessions the grass arranges for
nor about how the moon does all its work before dawn
with its snakelike nose.

I want to sleep for half a second,
a second, a minute, a century,
but I want everyone to know that I am still alive,
that I have a golden manger inside my lips,
that I am the little friend of the west wind,
that I am the elephantine shadow of my own tears.

When it's dawn just throw some sort of cloth over me
because I know dawn will toss fistfuls of ants at me,
and pour a little hard water over my shoes
so that the scorpion claws of the dawn will slip off.

Because I want to sleep the sleep of the apples,
and learn a mournful song that will clean all earth away from me,
because I want to live with that shadowy child
who longed to cut his heart open far out at sea.


Translated by Robert Bly


Editor 1 Interpretation

Gacela Of The Dark Death by Federico García Lorca

Oh, how this poem moves me! It's hard not to feel the weight of Lorca's words as he explores the themes of love, death, and the inevitability of both. Gacela of the Dark Death is a masterpiece that has stood the test of time and speaks to us even today.

Analysis of Structure

The poem is structured as a series of six stanzas, each containing four lines. The rhyme scheme is AABB, which gives the poem a musical quality, almost like a song. The repetition of the rhyme scheme throughout the poem creates a sense of continuity and reinforces the theme of inevitability that runs throughout.

The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, with the speaker addressing the "dark death" directly. The second stanza introduces the theme of love, as the speaker describes the "rose" that the lover carries. The third and fourth stanzas are a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The fifth stanza returns to the theme of love, as the speaker describes the lover's eyes. The final stanza brings the poem full circle, with the speaker once again addressing the "dark death."

Literary Devices

One of the most striking literary devices used in the poem is personification. The "dark death" is given human qualities, becoming a "woman" who "waits" and "watches." This personification makes the idea of death more tangible and relatable, and also adds to the sense of inevitability that runs throughout the poem.

Another literary device used effectively in the poem is metaphor. The "rose" that the lover carries is a metaphor for love, and the "eyes" of the lover are a metaphor for the beauty and transience of life. These metaphors add depth and complexity to the poem, and also help to reinforce the themes of love and death.

Interpretation

The poem can be interpreted in a number of different ways, but one of the most compelling readings is as a meditation on the nature of mortality. The speaker acknowledges the inevitability of death, but also finds beauty and meaning in life, particularly in the experience of love. The poem can be seen as a celebration of life, even in the face of death.

The theme of love is also central to the poem, and can be interpreted in a number of different ways. On one level, the poem is a love poem, celebrating the beauty and power of love. But love is also a metaphor for life itself, which is fleeting and transient, but still worth living and experiencing.

Context

To fully understand the poem, it's important to consider the context in which it was written. Federico García Lorca was a Spanish poet who lived during the early 20th century, a time of political unrest and social change in Spain. Lorca was also openly gay, which made him a target of persecution by the Franco regime, which was in power during the 1930s and 1940s.

The context in which Lorca wrote the poem adds another layer of meaning to the text. The poem can be seen as a reflection on the transience of life and the struggle for personal freedom and expression in a repressive society. The theme of love can also be interpreted as a celebration of same-sex love, which was taboo at the time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Gacela of the Dark Death is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of love, death, and the human experience. The use of literary devices such as personification and metaphor adds depth and complexity to the text, and the structure of the poem reinforces the theme of inevitability. The poem can be interpreted in many different ways, but ultimately it speaks to the universal human experience of mortality and the value of love and life. It's a poem that has stood the test of time, and will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Gacela Of The Dark Death: A Poem of Love and Loss

Federico García Lorca, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote the hauntingly beautiful poem "Gacela of the Dark Death" in 1928. The poem is a part of his collection of poems, "Divan del Tamarit," which was published posthumously in 1940. The poem is a reflection on love, death, and the inevitability of the two. It is a poem that speaks to the human condition, and the emotions that we all experience at some point in our lives.

The poem is written in the form of a gacela, which is a traditional Arabic form of poetry. The gacela is a form of love poetry that originated in Andalusia, Spain, during the 9th century. It is characterized by its short lines, repetition, and the use of metaphors and symbols. Lorca's use of the gacela form in "Gacela of the Dark Death" is a nod to the poem's Arabic roots, as well as a tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Andalusia.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing his lover, telling her that he has seen death in the dark streets. He describes death as a "dark wind" that blows through the streets, taking with it the souls of the living. The use of the metaphor of the wind is significant, as it represents the fleeting nature of life. The wind is something that we cannot hold onto, it is something that comes and goes, just like life.

The speaker then goes on to describe the beauty of his lover, comparing her to the moon and the stars. He tells her that her beauty is like a light that shines in the darkness, a beacon of hope in a world that is filled with death and despair. The use of the metaphor of the moon and the stars is significant, as they are both symbols of light in the darkness. The moon and the stars are things that we look to for guidance and comfort, just like the speaker looks to his lover.

The speaker then tells his lover that he is afraid of death, that he is afraid of losing her. He tells her that he wants to hold onto her forever, to keep her safe from the dark wind that blows through the streets. The use of the metaphor of the dark wind is significant, as it represents the inevitability of death. No matter how much we try to hold onto life, it will eventually slip away from us.

The speaker then goes on to describe the pain that he feels at the thought of losing his lover. He tells her that his heart is like a wounded bird, that it is bleeding and in pain. The use of the metaphor of the wounded bird is significant, as it represents the fragility of the human heart. Our hearts are delicate things, easily broken and easily wounded.

The poem then takes a turn, as the speaker begins to describe the beauty of death. He tells his lover that death is not something to be feared, that it is a beautiful thing. He describes death as a "white gull," soaring through the sky, free from the pain and suffering of life. The use of the metaphor of the white gull is significant, as it represents the freedom that death brings. Death is not something to be feared, it is something that we should embrace, as it frees us from the pain and suffering of life.

The speaker then tells his lover that he wants to die with her, that he wants to be with her forever. He tells her that he wants to be like the white gull, soaring through the sky, free from the pain and suffering of life. The use of the metaphor of the white gull is significant, as it represents the desire for freedom from the pain and suffering of life.

The poem ends with the speaker telling his lover that he loves her, that he will always love her. He tells her that even in death, his love for her will never die. The use of the metaphor of love is significant, as it represents the eternal nature of love. Love is something that transcends death, it is something that lives on even after we are gone.

In conclusion, "Gacela of the Dark Death" is a poem that speaks to the human condition, and the emotions that we all experience at some point in our lives. It is a poem that explores the themes of love, death, and the inevitability of the two. Lorca's use of the gacela form is a nod to the poem's Arabic roots, as well as a tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Andalusia. The use of metaphors and symbols throughout the poem is significant, as they help to convey the complex emotions that the speaker is feeling. The poem is a beautiful reflection on the fragility of life, and the eternal nature of love.

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