Source: Todo Colección

3.   Black Carnation     (Quíxente tanto, meniña)

(Cantares Gallegos, 1863)

Translator's Notes

"Quíxente tanto, meniña" contains the four affectionate diminutives listed below. Galician affectionate diminutives bring the opportunity to add alliteration, internal rhyme and lyrical sharpness to the text. The task for the translator is to discover the best adjective, adverb or noun which conveys smallness, frailty, concern or affection depending on the context.

• alentiño. Dim. of "alento" (breath, breathing) translated: "cherished breath." Other options: easy breath, gentle breath, precious breath, soft breath, vital breath.
• camiñiño. Dim. of "camiño" (path, route, trail, way) translated "lovely way" to get staggered alliteration with "Saint Louis." Other options: country lane, narrow path, short trail.
• caraveliño. Dim. of "caravel" (carnation) translated "fair carnation." The affectionate diminutive is toned down deliberately because the same carnation is cursed three lines farther down, "Damned black carnation." Consequently embellishments such as "colourful carnation" or "beautiful carnation" which are fine elsewhere seem to me to be incongruous or inappropriate for this poem.
• meniña (girl, lass). Not an affectionate diminutive.

Explanation of some words, terms or expressions

On the lovely way to San Lois (2.2). Today San Lois is part of Pontecesures, a town of 3,136 inhabitants (2011) situated 3.4 kilometers south of Padrón beside the river Ulla. The economic mainstays of Pontecesures and the surrounding region are dairy farming and sea lamprey fishing.

Yet when the river I crossed (3.7). The river Ulla.

Musical Adaptation

Raquel Pato composed a short piano piece for this poem (Ms. Pato is Head of the Music Department at IES As Lagoas in Ourense). Her composition was recorded by singer Rosa Cedrón and musician Cristina Pato in the 2010 album, "Soas."

Rosa Cedrón and Cristina Pato on Galician TV (year 2010).