The First Andalusian Rose

O you, favourite of the light,
Beloved of the roses,
Daughter of the dawn
And of black grapes,
Come let me embrace you,
Let me caress your eyelids and your hips,
Let me kiss your mouth and the tips of your breasts,
Yes, come let me lay waste to your soft insides
Like a burning dagger,
Come let me embrace you here on the ground,
On this green bed
Where all is heart and love making!


Come, let us exchange like bolts of lightning
Our cries of pleasure!


You are the last woman who appeared
South of the Sierra Morena,
Yes, the last who was born
In the Andalusian orchard,
Among melons and watermelons,
White and yellow peaches,
Cherries and apricots,
Strawberries and blackberries,
Pomegranates and figs!


When news of your birth reached me,
My heart began to beat violently!
But then I was just a child of the vine,
A beardless young grape picker,
A wine presser in the vats of joy,
Who worked so that the wine might ferment
And afford us drunkenness!


It was much later,
When I died and rose again
From the dead,
After having crossed the Sahara of solitude
On a skinny dromedary,
Its feet tortured by the burning sand,
Yes, it was much later when came
The meeting of our bodies!


After a short sea voyage,
At last I disembarked on Andalusian soil
Where you were among the curious throng
Watching the voyagers arrive!
Well, you recognised me at once
From my cheeks eaten by
Several months’ growth of beard,
And my eyes like palm trees on fire
And my tattered sombrero!


It was at that moment I understood
That you had renounced for ever
The cruel inheritance
Which used to be the lot of Andalusian women
And that, henceforth,
You would be not just a woman but
The first Goddess of Andalusia,
She thanks to whom
I was able to raise myself
To the high rank of poet!

FROM THE COLLECTION OF POEMS "LE SACRE DE L' ULTIME MAURE"

TRANSLATED BY NORTON HODGES FROM THE FRENCH OF THEO CRASSAS
ON SEPTEMBER THE 9TH, 2013

COLLECTION "LE SACRE DE L'ULTIME MAURE", PUBLISHED IN FRANCE, BY ENCRES VIVES
ON JUNE 2013.