Ballad of the Moon

by

Federico Garcia Lorca



The moon came into the forge

in her bustle of flowering nard.

The little boy stares at her, stares.

The boy is staring hard.

In the shaken air

the moon moves her arms,

and shows lubricious and pure,

her breasts of hard tin.

"Moon, moon, moon, run!

If the gypsies come,

they will use your heart

to make white necklaces and rings."

"Let me dance, my little one.

When the gypsies come,

they'll find you on the anvil

with your lively eyes closed tight."

"Moon, moon, moon, run!

I can feel her horses come."

"Let me be, my little one,

don't step on me, all starched and white!"


Closer comes the horseman,

drumming on the plain.

The boy is in the forge;

his eyes are closed.

Through the olive grove

come the gypsies, dream and bronze,

their heads held high,

their hooded eyes.


Oh, how the night owl calls,

calling, calling from its tree!

The moon is climbing through the sky

with the child by the hand.


They are crying in the forge,

all the gypsies, shouting, crying.

The air is viewing all, views all.

The air is at the viewing.



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