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“I have rewritten—often several times—every word I have ever written. My pencils outlast their erasers.” Vladimir Nabokov “This morning I took out a comma, and this afternoon I put it back again.” Oscar Wilde A few weeks ago I received a very courteous email from Al Daigen, a professional translator in Canada. He respectfully pointed … Continue reading
Grisette[1] lyrics by José González Castillo A strange cross between Musette and Mimi, with the caresses of Rodolfo and Schaunard, [2] she was the flower of Paris that the dream of a novel brought to the arrabal. And in the crazy ramblings of the cabaret the sweet melody of some tough-guy tango encouraged her illusions: she … Continue reading
I’m Called “Juan-I-Love-You”[1] (milonga) lyrics by Fernán Silva Valdés You’re a dark lady forged by pleasure and slander. I’ve taken you for carriage rides from Palermo down to the riverbank.[2] You’re a dark lady, tempered by men’s fiery passion. You’re like a dagger blow struck right through my heart. I’m called “Juan-I-love-you” and you’re María … Continue reading
Under the Blue Halo lyrics by Carmelo Volpe [spoken] From my table I contemplate memory’s dance: Paris with its grandeur drowning my desires, the lost lover who you carry like a cross, the dance that is even sadder beneath a blue halo of light… Under a blue halo of light Susú is moving to the … Continue reading
Those of you who are frequent visitors to my blog will note that I do not editorialize. I try to keep my comments to a minimum, sometimes inserting footnotes to the lyrics where a literal translation would break the flow of the poetry, or drawing attention to discrepancies between different versions of a song. But … Continue reading
Poesía de gotán: The Poetry of the Tango 