Last Night, as I Was Sleeping - Antonio Machado

Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt - marvelous error! -
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming for me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?
Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt - marvelous error! -
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.
Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt - marvelous error! -
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.
Last night, as I slept,
I dreamt - marvelous error! -
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.




(translated from the Spanish by Robert Bly)
=========================
Antonio Machado (1875-1939) was a member of the Spanish literary movement called the Generation of '98, a group that formed as an artistic response to the defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American war. They criticized Spain's conservative literary tradition which was prevalent at that time. His interest in French poetry, particularly the exploration of dreams, memory and consciousness is evident in this poem.