May, 1993 - Stratford...have been reading through the poetry of 15th century

Spain, and I find myself drawn to one by the mystic writer and visionary St.

John of the Cross; the untitled work is an exquisite, richly metaphoric love

poem between himself and his god. It could pass as a love poem between any two

at any time...His approach seems more akin to early Islamic or Judaic works in

its more direct route of communication to his god...I have gone over three

different translations of the poem, and am struck by how much a translation can

alter our interpretation. Am reminded that most holy scriptures come to us in

translation, resulting in a diversity of views.



Mai 1993 - Stratford...pendant la lecture de poetes espagnols du XVe siecle, me

voila fascinee par un poeme du mystique et visionnaire Saint Jean de la Croix;

l'oeuvre sans titre est un poeme d'amour metaphorique, d'une beaute exquise,

pour son dieu. Cela pourrait etre un chant d'amour entre deux etres de

n'importe quelle epoque, n'importe quel pays...Par son expression si directe

envers son dieu, le poeme s'apparente plus aux oeuvres de l'islam ancien ou du

judaisme...J'ai lu trois traductions differentes de l'oeuvre et je suis frappee

par les grandes varietes d'interpretation. Cela me rappelle que la plupart des

livres sacres nous sont parvenus sous forme de traductions, creant ainsi une

multitude d'interpretations.



Mai 1993 - Stratford...Habe mich durch die spanische Literatur des 15.

Jahrhunderts gelesen und fuehle mich angezogen von einem Stueck des mystischen

Schreibers und Sehers, der Heilige Johannes des Kreuzes; bei dieser Arbeit ohne

Titel handelt es sich um ein ausgezeichnetes, metaphorisches Liebesgedicht

zwischen ihm und seinem Gott. Es koennte jederzeit als Liebesgedicht zwischen

irgendwelchen zwei Menschen durchgehen...Seine Art der Kommunikation mit seinem

Gott, die so direkt ist, scheint den fruehen islamischen und judaeischen

Arbeiten viel naeher zu sein...Ich habe mir drei verschiedene Uebersetzungen

des Gedichtes angesehen und bin ueberrascht, wie sehr eine Uebersetzung unsere

Interpretation veraendern kann. Man sei hier erinnert, dass die meisten

heiligen Aufzeichnungen als Uebersetzung zu uns gelangen, was eine Vielfalt der

Sichtweisen zur Folge hat.



Mayo de 1993 - Stratford...he estado leyendo poesia espanola del siglo XV, y he

sentido una enorme atraccion por el mistico y visionario San Jan de la Cruz; el

trabajo sin titulo es un exquisito poema de amor entre el y su Dios muy rico en

metaforas. Puede pasar por un poema de amor entre dos personas de cualquier

epoca...Su enfoque parece mas bien del estilo de los primeros trabajos

islamicos o judios en su via mas directa de communicacion con Dios...he leido

tres traducciones diferentes del poema, y quede impresionada al ver lo que una

traduccion puede alterar un poema. Recuerdo que la mayoria de las escrituras

sagradas las conocemos por traducciones, creando asi una multitud de

interpretaciones.





Upon a darkened night

the flame o love was burning in my breast

And by a lantern bright

I fled my house while all in quiet rest



Shrouded by the night

and by the secret star I quikly fled

The veil concealed my eyes

while all within lay quiet as the dead



Chorus:

Oh night though was my guide

oh night more loving than the rising sun

Oh night that joined the lover

to the beloved one

transforming each of them into the other



Upon that misty night

in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight

Without a guide or light

than that which burned so deeply in my heart



That fire t'was led me on

and shone more bright than of the midday sun

To where he waited still

it was a place where no one else could come



(Chorus)



Within my poinding heart

which kept itself entirely for him

He fell into his sleep

beneath the cedars all my love I gave

>From o'er the fortress walls

the wind would brush his hair against his brow

And with its smoothest hand

caressed my every sense it would allow



(Chorus)



I lost myself to him

and laid my face upon my lovers breast

And care and grief grew dim

as in the mornings mist became the light

There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair

there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair

there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair





Lyrics: St. John of the Cross,

arranged and adapted by L.M.

Music: L.M.

L.M. - vocals, synthesizers

Brian Hughes - guitar, electric sitar

Hugh Marsh - fiddle

George Koller - cello, esraj