"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."
—Robert Frost
I have been in a sort of nostalgic mood this week. So I decided to share one of my favourite poems by Rosalía de Castro called "Adiós ríos, adiós fontes" (Goodbye rivers, goodbye fountains), which was written in the original Galician language. Still, I followed it up with an English translation:
Galician:
Adiós ríos, adiós fontes,
adiós, regatos pequenos;
adiós, vista dos meus ollos,
non sei cando nos veremos.
Miña terra, miña terra,
terra donde me eu criei,
hortiña que quero tanto,
figueiriñas que prantei.
Prados, ríos, arboredas,
pinares que move o vento,
paxariños piadores,
casiña do meu contento.
Muíño dos castañares,
noites craras de luar,
campaniñas dos tellados,
como eu vos podo olvidar?
English Translation:
Goodbye rivers, goodbye fountains,
goodbye, small streams;
goodbye, view of my eyes,
I do not know when we will see each other again.
My land, my land,
land where I was raised,
garden that I love so much,
fig trees that I wept for.
Meadows, rivers, groves,
pine forests that the wind moves,
chirping birds,
little house of my contentment.
Mill of the chestnut trees,
clear moonlit nights,
bells of the rooftops,
how can I forget you?
Personal Conclusion:
Rosalía de Castro's poem "Adiós ríos, adiós fontes" (Goodbye rivers, goodbye fountains) is a thoughtful expression of the poet's love and longing for her homeland of Galicia, a region in northwestern Spain. The poem is a farewell to the natural landscapes of her childhood, including rivers, fountains, and small streams.
The poem reflects the poet's deep attachment to her land and the sense of loss she feels as she says goodbye to it. She remembers the fig trees that she wept for, the meadows, groves, and pine forests that were moved by the wind, and the chirping birds that sang in her ears.
The poem also speaks of the poet's attachment to her people and their way of life. She mentions the mill of the chestnut trees, clear moonlit nights, and rooftop bells, all representing Galicia's unique cultural and natural heritage.
In essence, the poem is a heartfelt tribute to the land and people of Galicia and a longing to return to the beauty of her childhood memories.