Before The Dawn Poem by Federico García Lorca

Before The Dawn

Rating: 3.3


But like love
the archers
are blind

Upon the green night,
the piercing saetas
leave traces of warm
lily.

The keel of the moon
breaks through purple clouds
and their quivers
fill with dew.

Ay, but like love
the archers
are blind!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Susan Williams 21 April 2016

Thank you Savita for looking up Saeta and sharing it with us. For me, I was caught up with this image and it is still sailing along in my head and that is a sign of great writing- - - - - - ] The keel of the moon breaks through purple clouds

10 2 Reply
Kim Barney 21 April 2016

Garcia Lorca had a unique way with words. Upon the green night, the piercing saetas leave traces of warm lily. A saeta is a dart or an arrow, thus the connection to the archers. I'm still trying to figure out how the arrows could leave traces of warm lily... I also wonder why the translator left the Spanish word saeta in the poem and didn't just translate it. I think that when a poem comes from a foreign language, as this one does, Poem Hunter should tell us who the translator was, so that we can give them the credit (or the blame) .

4 3 Reply
Sandra Feldman 21 April 2016

Kim, lirio caliente is lorca's image in this poem that is more of a feeling than an image, lirio cliente, the pure beauty of the flower with the warmth of life and deep feeling. Creo, en poesia nunca se sabe con certitud

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Practicing Poetess 29 August 2019

There is an old saying that 'Love is Blind', but that is not a desirable thing for an archer, who must accurately make his mark! A lovely poem from the pen of Federico Garcia Lorca.

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Savita Tyagi 21 April 2016

I looked up Saeta and it refers to Spanish religious song. It invokes great passion. With this definition leaving traces of warmth upon Lily or atmosphere makes sense and connects it with power of love. Hate also invokes same emotions signified by word archer. This is my intake. The poem is beautiful and a pleasure to read.

4 1 Reply
Alexandrian Ink 27 July 2023

Well said

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2) … and as it Lorca, I have on complaints. You may have a Lorca poem every day as POD for the next 365 days and I will just enjoy them. But I wonder what has become of the PoemHunter site, it's admin and it's Creative Team, if they have one!

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This profound poem of great Federico Garcia Lorca was the Modern Poem of The Day on 29 August 2020. Today it is the Poem of the Day again. As it is this magnificent metaphorical treasure of a poem, and as it Lorca, I have on complaints. Contd..

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Sylvia Frances Chan 27 July 2023

FOUR: there was no dawn that morning, so no hope in New York where he sat at that moment and felt very lonely. Please pay attention that Lorca was a homosexual person/poet

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 27 July 2023

To understand this lovely sad poem completely, the reader must know what Garcia Lorca mean with DAWN, that was the time he went to the USA

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