September 5, 2023
Saint John of the Cross is not only one of the Church’s greatest mystics, but also one of the most important figures in the Spanish poetic tradition. A new translation of his poems into English by the contemporary bilingual poet Lina Espaillat offers us the opportunity to discover, or rediscover, this unique spiritual and artistic master.
Carla Garde joins us on the podcast to talk about Espaillat’s translation of St. John of the Cross. A comparison with the previous translation by Roy Campbell (a friend of Tolkien and Lewis) provides an opportunity to highlight different approaches and issues in translating the poem. Carla and Thomas also discuss common misunderstandings about the dark night of the soul and John’s use of the classical mystical symbolism of the bride and groom to represent the soul’s relationship to God.
Link
The Spring that Feeds the Torrent: Poems of St. John of the Cross, translated by Lina P. Espaillat
https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p135/The_Spring_that_Feeds_the_Torrent%3A_Poems_by_St._John_of_the_Cross%2C_Translated_by_Rina_P._Espaillat.html
Saint John of the Cross: PoetryTranslated by Roy Campbell https://clunymedia.com/products/poems
Musical setting for “El Pastorcico” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se0fcCvKqzY
A mother who loves reading https://wellreadmom.com
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