Poetry By Antonio Machado - Last Night as I was Sleeping

[DwiteTheSpriteKnight]

Although I don't believe in a supreme being I do believe in beings that are more wonderful and wiser than I can conceive of so I think this is a beautiful poem. For me it does a great job of telling the story of moving from despair to hope to creative expression of that hope and finally to peace and love without pain. I guess it does something similar for other listeners.

[HerAeolianHarp]

I'm really grateful to my friend Alberto for sending me this poem tonight. It's a very well-made video. Delicately beautiful.

[blueskyfeeling]

This poem actually opens the heart. Thank you for sharing x

[mydreamsong]

hauntingly beutiful

[KyrieEleison46]

Lovely video. I have saved to a playlist.  There is a quiet beauty about this.♥

[ctno3]

this is so beautiful i cant help but watch but i cant help but feel pain in my heart evry time i hear it as it always reminds me of sum1 i lost but i would rather that then 2 forget i miss u baby

[CCPoetryNow]

Beautiful video...added to favourites..thank you

[ScottishArtFan]

This is truly breath taking. I am not very familiar with Machado's Work (a close friend is) - I certainly will be taking an interest now. Beautiful Clip.

[dcautela]

Halo Amara and Sarah, Thanks for posting this beautiful production. I was moved by God's beauty, Robert Bly's voice and grace. LOL Deborah

[satash8]

Absolutly beautiful! Thank you for sharing the Light with so many.

[lombmusic07]

@dkadagian thanks to you and the poet Antonio Machado and the reader Robert Bly. This is a treasure for me and my friends.

[rockchick80s]

@lombmusic07 thanks for sharing - Truly inspiring words indeed. Conjures up an amazing image - "Water of a new life that I have never drunk."

[lombmusic07]

@rockchick80s - I love that line. And "water; along which secret aquaduct are you coming to me, water of a new life?" Gets you shifting.

[lombmusic07]

"marvellous error" should be "marvellous vision". That could change it, it could be misunderstood as a melancholy poem, where all that he dreams is impossible in real life. But "Ilusion" could hardly be translated as error; it is rather 'illusion, vision, or dream'. His dream shows him how his new life is beginning and all the beauty and love and divinity that is there for him.

[124bjw]

Absolutely true Sarah. Such a beautiful poem and it should be '"vision'. This is an uplifting poem of revelation, new beginnings and hope. I loved the poem and the video. I'm sending it to Catherine. She'll adore it. Thank you.

Dors bien--j'espere que tu as un bon reve ce soir.

Ton amie,

Bev

[cather333]

Dear Bev,

We both adore it. It's amazing !! Realy !!

We had some chills.

Thank you so much for sharing this to me, Bev.

In my Favorites. 5 ***** +++++++

Love ya

Sleep with Angels tonight.

Catherine ♥♥

[124bjw]

Yes, but now it's time to work with not so many angels@@@@@!!

Je t'aime,

Bev

[lombmusic07]

Bev,

That makes me very happy : )

Sarah

[124bjw]

@lombmusic07

Beautiful translation Sarah. I had to come back to this. I love the "age" in his voice. Does it take this long to see the light? I hope not. That would be the real error. I like the part about the water coming from a secret aquaduct too and the stirring in his heart caused by the bees making their honeycomb. It's quite a poem. What gorgeous countryside too!

Haven't heard from you much lately. I hope you're well.

Bev

[lombmusic07]

1:05 I was there yesterday! Many places like that in the world but we are lucky enough to have one near us. Precious fun times with my family.

[lombmusic07]

This is sublime, happy and not at all melancholy!

[cathyginter]

"No, my soul is not asleep. It is awake, wide awake. It neither sleeps nor dreams, but watches, its eyes wide open, far off things, and listens at the shores of the great silence." ~ Antonio Machado

[jazzmunky]

who's the music by? beautiful!

[dkadagian]

All music from our poetry series comes from AP Music - a commercial clearing house for musicians. I highly recommend using them if making a film. Have to spend a lot of time searching their library but it's worth the effort. Glad you liked it. This music is particularly strong.

[dkadagian]

That is beautiful.

[carlosbashuertas]

For those interested, the original is "Anoche, cuando dormía".

Para los interesados, el poema se llama "Anoche, cuando dormía".

He was introspective, always on a search for the truth inside, but at the same time he was concerned about his country at a time when poets in Spain were mostly concerned with aesthetics. He died in exile from the Franco regime, in Colliure, France in 1939.

[carlosbashuertas]

Oh thanks for this creation! My favorite poet so well translated and spoken, this is exquisite, the music and the video are superb.

[omshantidivine]

The beauty of Antonio's poem shines as a divine light in the eternal night sky ~

[duopastorale]

Beautiful!

[sailingbystarlight3]

I love this.

[chafut]

You cannot be so negative about life, you don't know what future holds for us. The only way to defeat the New world order is with love , and compassion. That is what this poem is about, its about opening of the heart and letting love and compassion be present in your life. God is infinite consciousness and love that lives and in our hearts. We are not separate from God neither from each other, only love and compassion can cure this world.

[Nabatiyan]

Such Brilliant work! How do you manage. Thank you so much!

[PADDEN29]

Thank you thank you thank you! This is simply amazing. Love to all <3

[Rumiton]

People who love this poem might like to look at videos of Prem Rawat on YouTube. I think this is the experience he is talking about and showing.

[paraulataviajera]

Anoche cuando dormía

soñé, !bendita ilusión!

que una fontana fluía

dentro de mi corazón.

Dí ? por qué acequia escondida,

agua, viene hasta mí,

manantial de nueva vida

en donde nunca bebí?

[Rumiton]

Last night as I was sleeping

I dreamed a most marvellous dream,

That God was keeping me company

Here, in my heart, with me.

[Rumiton]

Last night as I was sleeping I dreamed a most marvellous dream, That buzzing within my heart Were a sweet host of golden bees, Making their homes and their honey From my painful old memories. Last night as I was sleeping I dreamed a most marvellous dream, That burning within my heart Was a shining and golden sun Its warmth felt like the welcome Of a well-loved family, And the light that shone out from it Brought tears to my eyes to see.

[Rumiton]

This is my attempt at translating it.

Last night as I was sleeping

I dreamed a most marvellous dream,

That bubbling within my heart

Was a fountain of sweet purity.

Can you tell me, from what blessed source

This water is flowing to me,

The fountain of precious new life

That never, before this, could be?

[anla00]

A very good translation. Enhorabuena!

[Rumiton]

Thank you!

[Rumiton]

Beautiful images, but there seem to be some mistakes in the English translation, eg. "Ilusion" is not "error," more like "vision."

[pleytes]

Thank you. I really enjoy your translation.

[Rumiton]

Very glad you liked it.

[eyeservant]

I agree that "error" would also not be my first choice of translation. But Bly is a very good poet and I trust him.

By the end of the poem, the poet claims an intimacy with God--that God is inside his heart. It's an audacious claim. So many of the canonical sources tell us that we dwell within God's heart.

So it is indeed a "marvelous error"--a miracle--to find God in one's heart, even, or especially, in a dream.

[Rumiton]

Maybe this point is more important than we realise. The Bible says the Kingdom of Heaven is within, so from that point of view, Machado's poem is quite conventional. Could it be that "canonical" sources have tried to subtley distance the human being from the source of his love, to make themselves more significant?

Anyway, "ilusion" just doesn't mean error. Bly is writing his own poem at this point.

[anla00]

"ilusión " means "illusion", but also something like "hope" or "wishfull thinking" in Spanish.. I would say Machado is playing with this ambiguity. In any case, you are right, it does not mean "error".

[Rumiton]

That's why I chose the word "dream." I can't think of anything better in English, but I guess efforts at translation will always be unsatisfactory.

[Daniella198027]

lost in translation... Does not sound quite as beautiful and meaningful as it does in Spanish...

[surferjason]

wonderful poem by machado

thanks

[vicburk]

So very peaceful, and as Whitman said, "peace is always beautiful."

[dkish3]

This so lovely still we hope to here good poem

God bless you ,anyone well come to school of love and compasion which Greats Man on earthe pperchese this awsome Thank a lot

[MisterFreckles]

Robert Bly has attained in his maturity the voice of the wise man of letters. A beautiful rendering. Thanks for the posting.

[jtnix]

Hello Brother Randy.. It is Good to feel you Here.

peace and love ~~

[randyisnot]

doesnt hurt that an old guy reads it

[1MusicLover4U]

This poem is among the most beautiful poems I've ever heard. Possibly, the author had an intense mystical experience and was moved by a profound sense of gratitude, and love, for nature, life, and God. If you enjoyed this poem, another very beautiful one is Coleman Barks's, "What was said to the Rose." It may be here on youtube somewhere.

[ckalbacher]

oh yeah I have been into bly a longtime I bought the book with this poem he translated, it was a neat little paperback pretty thin I think I still have it... I remember it which is weird..