It’s always great to celebrate the seasons with poetry! The poem Noche de verano (Summer Night) is a lovely poem we’ve chosen to share now that summer is finally here.  It was written by Spanish poet Antonio Machado (1875-1939).

Below you can listen to a recording of the poem while reading the original Spanish text along with an English translation.

MP3 Recording of Noche de verano

Noche de verano

Es una hermosa noche de verano.
Tienen las altas casas
abiertos los balcones
del viejo pueblo a la anchurosa plaza.
En el amplio rectángulo desierto,
bancos de piedra, evónimos y acacias
simétricos dibujan
sus negras sombras en la arena blanca.
En el cénit, la luna, y en la torre,
la esfera del reloj iluminada.
Yo en este viejo pueblo paseando
solo, como un fantasma.

Summer Night

It’s a beautiful summer night.

The balcony doors

of the tall houses

open onto the large plaza of the old town.

In the deserted, wide rectangle,

stone benches, hedges and acacias,

symmetrically draw

their black shadows onto white sand.

The moon, at its zenith, and on the tower,

the illuminated face of the clock.

I stroll in this old town

alone, like a phantom.

Recording by Monique Palomares
Image: "Balconies in Old Tbilisi at night" by Thomas Depenbusch
Translation by Lisa Yannucci

Happy Summer!

Mama Lisa

Many thanks to Monique Palomares for recording this poem! Monique works with us on the Spanish and French versions of Mama Lisa’s World.