Biarritz en 1974

Argentique scannée et retravaillée digitalement



Alfonsina y El Mar, composed by Ariel Ramirez is based on the tragic death of an Argentine Poet named Alfonsina Storni, who threw herself into the sea at Mar de Plata.

This particular version is interpreted by Mercedes Sosa. I remember watching Ms. Sosa sing this sad, yet compelling song when I was very young.

My older sister, Elena, learned to play it in the guitar and I used to love to listen to her sing it. The memories of Elena playing the guitar and singing this song will forever be ingrained in my mind. She was a wonderful musician, I wish she would pick the instrument back up.

www.japiblog.com/japiblog/2008/02/alfonsina-y-el.html

Por la blanda arena
que lame el mar
su pequeña huella
no vuelve más
un sendero solo
de pena y silencio llegó
hasta el agua profunda
un sendero solo
de penas mudas llegó
hasta la espuma.
Sabe dios qué angustia
te acompañó
qué dolores viejos
calló tu voz
para recostarte
arrullada en el canto
de las caracolas marinas
la canción que canta
en el fondo oscuro del mar
la caracola.

Te vas alfonsina
con tu soledad
¿qué poemas nuevos
fuíste a buscar?
una voz antigüa
de viento y de sal
te requiebra el alma
y la está llevando
y te vas hacia allá
como en sueños dormida,
alfonsina vestida de mar.


Cinco sirenitas
te llevarán
por caminos de algas
y de coral
y fosforescentes
caballos marinos harán
una ronda a tu lado
y los habitantes
del agua van a jugar
pronto a tu lado.
Bájame la lámpara
un poco más
déjame que duerma
nodriza, en paz
y si llama él
no le digas nunca que estoy
di que me he ido.


Te vas alfonsina
con tu soledad
¿qué poemas nuevos
fueste a buscar?
una voz antigüa
de viento y de sal
te requiebra el alma
y la está llevando
y te vas hacia allá
como en sueños dormida,
alfonsina vestida de mar.


Only God knows about the anguish that accompanied you
And about the old pains your voice never told
That caused you to go to sleep, lulled by the song
Of the seashells
The song sung in the depths of the dark sea by
The seashell

You're going away, Alfonsina
Along with your loneliness
What kind of new poems did you go looking for?
An ancient voice made of wind and salt
Is shattering your soul and taking you away
And you go there, like in a dream
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed with the sea

Five little mermaids will escort you
Through paths made of seaweed and corals
And phosphorescent sea horses will sing
Around, by your side
And the aquatic dwellers
Will soon play by your side

Dim the light of the lamp a bit for me
Let me sleep in peace, nurse [1]
And if he calls don't tell him I'm here
Tell him that Alfonsina is not coming back
And if he calls never tell him I'm here
Tell him that I have left

You're going away, Alfonsina
Along with your loneliness
What kind of new poems did you go looking for?
An ancient voice made of wind and salt
Is shattering your soul and taking you away
And you go there, like in a dream
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed with the sea