THE BALLAD OF MANUEL RODRIGUEZ: A POEM AND A SONG FOR A CHILEAN PATRIOT

WELCOME TO THIS POST!

RED AND WHITE ROSES FOR THE ROMANTIC HERO

Click to enlarge

Source: Pixabay, Public Domain

WHO WAS MANUEL RODRIGUEZ?

This famous historical figure was a well educated Chilean, a lawyer, who became an inspired and expert guerrilla fighter, spy and tactician during the wars for Chilean Independence. 

He held several important civilian and military positions in the initial years of the Chilean efforts to break from the dominance of Spain.

The Independence Wars were spread over a relatively long period, from 1810 to 1818 and fluctuated from success to utter defeat and then at last success. 

The final effort was brought off by a joint army of Chileans and Argentineans that crossed over the Andes Mountains from Argentina through several of the known passes and then defeated the Spaniards in the important Battle of Chacabuco. 

While the “Liberating Army” was training and organizing the final campaigns, Manuel Rodriguez was charged with gathering information in Chile and spreading as much confusion as possible amongst the Spanish forces.

This he did admirable, by forming a band of irregulars with which he attacked various enemy outposts and in general created havoc through short and violent surprise attacks.

He was an expert at disguising himself; he could be a priest, a drunk, a laborer, a gentleman, as best suited his needs at that moment. 

There is a well known anecdote according to which he dressed as a laborer, and as he wanted a close-up impression of the Spanish Governor, he came up to the official coach and helped this man by holding the door open for him. 

Manuel received a coin for his servility and the Governor never knew that the most searched for enemy of Spain in Chile was standing right beside him. 

Unfortunately, there were various factions amongst the patriots and they were constantly falling out with each other. 

Manuel Rodriguez was deemed to be too fond of taking risks and some considered him an outright danger to the cause of independence. In addition he was far too popular with the “people”, far more so than with the richer classes. The common folk adored him, and would support him unconditionally.

In the end, as Chile struggled to find its way as a new born nation, he fell out of favor with the new ruling class, and the Governor General, Bernardo O’Higgins, ordered him to be confined under the military.

On May 25^th, 1818, he was removed from his place of imprisonment under strong guard with the idea of transferring him to Valparaiso.

He was escorted by a Company of patriot soldiers belonging to one of the Chilean Army Battalions, the Cazadores de Los Andes.

On the evening of the 26^th of May, 1818, as they made camp by a small stream near Til Til, Manuel Rodriguez was shot in the back and his body was thrown into a ditch and abandoned.

Some laborers found him, recognized him and secretly moved his body to a small chapel in Til Til, where the priest helped them to bury him under the altar.

A LIKENESS OF THE YOUNG WARRIOR

 Click to enlarge

Source: Anon. Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

PABLO NERUDA AND THE PATRIOTIC BALLADS OF HIS CANTO GENERAL

This famous Chilean poet, a Nobel Prize winner (1971), wrote a magnificent epic poem in honor of Spanish America.  He called it Canto General which translated as “General Song”

There is a section in it dedicated to the heroes of Chile’s independence, and it includes his famous Ballad of Manuel Rodriguez.

This poem starts off with some incomplete sentences, portraying the idea that Manuel's underground work for the liberation of Chile was organized through whispers and rumors, with very little definite information (it could be him… it might or might not be him…)

Another verse includes various place names. These represent the different localities where his irregulars were sighted, in their efforts to confuse the Spanish forces. 

If you searched for them on a map of central Chile, you would observe that there is no consistent pattern, and that they spread both north and south of Santiago, the capital.

And finally, the poem closes with his traitorous death.

The Canto General was published in Mexico in 1950.

A MONUMENT IN HONOR OF THE PATRIOT 

Click to enlarge

Source: Richard Espinoza, CC BY SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons 

THE MUSIC FOR THE BALLAD OF MANUEL RODRIGUEZ

Some of Pablo Neruda’s poems were set to music by Vicente Bianchi, a well-known Chilean composer. 

The original singers were Silvia Infantas and the Baqueanos, directed by Vicente Bianchi, the composer.

I was fortunate enough to find a Vintage Version on YouTube, which is included at the end of this post.

LYRICS FOR TONADAS DE MANUEL RODRIGUEZ, MY FREE TRANSLATION

Ballad of Manuel Rodriguez

VERSE

Lady they say that somewhere,

My mother they say, they said,

The water and the wind say

They saw the warrior.

LIFE

It might be a bishop,

It might be and it might not be,

It could be just the wind

Blowing over the snow:

Over the snow, yes indeed,

Mother don’t look,

There he gallops,

Manuel Rodriguez.

The warrior is coming,

Down by the stream.

VERSE

Out of Melipilla,

Galloping through Talagante,

Crossing through San Fernando,

Meeting the dawn in Pomaire.

PASSION

Going through Rancagua,

And San Rosendo,

Through Cauquenes, and Chena,

And Nacimiento:

Through Nacimiento, yes,

Coming from Chiñigùe,

He comes from everywhere

Manuel Rodriguez.

Give him this flower,

Let’s join him.

VERSE

Let the guitars be silent,

The Nation is in mourning.

The earth darkens.

They killed the warrior.

DEATH

They killed him at Til Til

The murderers,

His back is bleeding

By the road:

Yes, by the road,

Who would have believed it,

He was our blood,

And our happiness.

The earth is crying,

Let’s be silent.

THE ORIGINAL SPANISH VERSION

(This Blog is Bilingual)

 TONADAS DE MANUEL RODRIGUEZ

 

VERSO

Señora dicen que donde,

Mi madre dicen, dijeron,

El agua y el viento dicen

Que vieron al guerrillero.

VIDA.

Puede ser un obispo,

Puede y no puede,

Puede ser sólo el viento

Sobre la nieve:

Sobre la nieve, sí,

Madre no mires,

Que viene galopando

Manuel Rodríguez.

Ya viene el guerrillero

Por el estero.

VERSO

Saliendo de Melipilla,

Corriendo por Talagante,

Cruzando por San Fernando,

Amaneciendo en Pomaire.

PASION

Pasando por Rancagua,

Por San Rosendo,

Por Cauquenes, por Chena,

Por Nacimiento:

Por Nacimiento, sí,

Desde Chiñigûe,

Por todas partes viene

Manuel Rodríguez.

Pásale este clavel,

Vamos con él.

VERSO

Que se apaguen las guitarras,

Que la Patria está de duelo.

Nuestra tierra se oscurece.

Mataron al guerrillero.

MUERTE

En Til Tl lo mataron

Los asesinos,

Su espalda está sangrando

Sobre el camino:

Sobre el camino, sí,

Quien lo diría,

El, que era nuestra sangre,

Nuestra alegría.

La tierra está llorando.

Vamos callando.

THE MUSIC COMPOSED BY VICENTE BIANCHI

Singers: Silvia Infantas and the Baqueanos

FINAL WORDS

Pablo Neruda’s great epic poem, the Canto General, includes on overview in verse of Chilean history. It is like a painting in words that describes the principal periods through which the Chilean Nation was formed.

I plan to include some more sections of this masterpiece in future posts.

I hope you enjoyed this one, and I’ll see you soon.

© 2013  jveronr  (Joan Robertson)

I will be very happy to receive your comments! Just click the word “comments” lower down.

ANOTHER POEM WRITTEN BY OSCAR CASTRO, A CHILEAN POET

WELCOME TO THIS POST!

FIRST, SOME LOVEY SCENERY FOR MY READERS.

CHILEAN COUNTRY SCENE.

Click to enlarge

Source: Iñi Piñi, CC BY SA 2.0. Flickr 

This is a FTSF (Finish the Sentence Friday) post for the corresponding Blog hop created by my blogging friends.

The prompt provided is:

“The best and worst parts of blogging are…”  and my answer is in the first paragraphs of this post.

MY IDEAS ON THE EXPERIENCE OF BLOGGING

Blogging is a fascinating enterprise which I’m delighted to be taking part in!

The best parts of Blogging are, to my mind – (1) the freedom which allows us to throw most of “the rules” out the window; (2) the fact that the standard of quality is defined by the blogger and the readers, not the moderators; (3) the flexibility in the length of a post which can be short, middling or long; (4) the speed with which it is possible to write, review, post and answer feedback; (5) the lack of formality in the writing style, which is usually very fluid: (6) Blogger communities are usually very lively, friendly and dynamic.

I think these are the most important “best parts”

The worst parts are, in my opinion – (1) the never ending need to learn about technical aspects, such as uploading photos, monetizing, making the posts visible to readers, constantly trying to increase views, and so on; (2) managing time constraints when combining blogging with other work activities; (3) the time and effort spent in researching for a blog on topics such as mine are.

And that’s about it!

The rest of this post is a good example of what I mean by “research”.

A BEAUTIFUL POEM BY OSCAR CASTRO, THE SECOND IN THIS SERIES OF CHILEAN POETRY

Oscar Castro was born in Rancagua in 1910. He grew to be a self educated person, a writer and a teacher.

He died in 1947 due to chronic ill health.

For a short introduction to his life and some details of his writings, I recommend my previous post on this link: Oscar Castro, a poet and a poem from Chile

For this present post, I chose the poem called Romance del Hombre Nocturno.

Here you will find: my very free translation of this lovely poem, the original Spanish version, and finally a video which interprets this same poem set to music and read by some famous Chilean actors, the Duvauchelle brothers.

MY FREE TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH

THE NOCTURNE MAN

My mare was slowly climbing

With firm bronze colored steps.

A night for crucifixes

lay over the hills.

The naked water was involved

In limpid conversations

With the crickets and the stones

And some fading songs.

“Night is a bad thing my friend,

And there are thieves up the hills”

¡Great old man! He would say this

Yonder in the barn field,

And there was concern reflected

In his quicksilver eyes.

But the shadows felt good

Full of glitters and scents

¿Fear? My mare was sure

And I had a revolver in my belt

And in my breast, the solid

Heart of a man.

But still, but still,

My hand trembled.

Four riders were approaching,

Slowly descending from the hillside.

I could see them outlined, black

Against the constellations above.

My mount raised her ears

Into two sharp points

And the ray of a bright star

Shimmered on my revolver.

¡Who goes there!

I saw them stop,

And my voice multiplied

Echoing on the mountain peaks

Like a coil of springs.

At that moment I was crossing

A narrow edged pass:

On my right, the abyss,

Dark like a slice of night;

In front of me, the riders;

On my left – a wall- the hillside.

I continued forwards in the shadows,

Towards the immovable outlines.

Once through the narrow pass,

I stumbled over their voices.

- Where is the friend heading?

-North to the next town

My elderly mother awaits me

And so do my younger brothers.

I left them on a day in March;

Five years have gone by since then.

My voice was strong and sure;

His was opaque and coppery

I saw their eyes glimmer

With the light of emotions.

-I will ride with our friend

Until he has crossed the hills.

Five horsemen rode on

Towards the constellations

Five riders descended the slopes

With firm bronze colored strides.

Four of them halted suddenly

The fifth continued northwards,

After clasping the outstretched hands

Of those four men.

Later on, the sky became lighter

With a yellow dawn.

Murmuring streams.

Early rising birds.

Close by, the maiten and the boldo;

In the distance, Rancagua and its towers;

Amongst the houses, my house,

With plum trees and grapevines

and my mother with her eyes

Like the oceans and the horizon!

To the rear, a tremendous memory

Of an outlaw who was a great man.

THE ORIGINAL SPANISH VERSION BY OSCAR CASTRO

 

ROMANCE DEL HOMBRE NOCTURNO – OSCAR CASTRO

Mi yegua subía lenta

Con firmes pasos de bronce.

La noche de crucifijos

fulgía sobre los montes

Andaba el agua desnuda

en claras conversaciones

Con los grillos y las piedras

y las huidas canciones

-”Es mala la noche amigo,

Y en el monte andan ladrones”

¡Buen viejo!, me lo decía

Allá en el campo de trojes

Y un sobresalto rondaba

Por sus pupilas de azogue.

Pero era buena la sombra

Madura de oros y olores

¿Miedo?, mi yegua era firme

Y yo llevaba un revolver en el cinto

Y en el pecho, un ancho

Corazón de hombre.

Sin embargo, sin embargo,

Mi mano sobresaltose.

Cuatro jinetes venían,

pausados bajando el monte.

Los vi recortarse, negros

Contra las constelaciones.

Mi bestia irguió las orejas

En agudos aguijones

Y la estría de un lucero

Rieló sobre mi revolver.

¡Quién va!

Los vi detenerse,

Y mi voz multiplicose

Rebotando en los picachos

Como en cojín de resortes.

Cruzaba en ese momento

Un paso de angostos bordes:

A la derecha, el abismos,

Tinta o residuo de noche;

Adelante, los jinetes;

A la izquierda – muro- el monte.

Seguí  avanzando en la sombra,

Hacia las sombras inmóviles.

Traspuesto el paso difícil,

Me tropecé con sus voces:

-          ¿A dónde marcha el amigo?

-          Al pueblo de más al norte

Me esperan mi vieja madre

Y mis hermanos menores.

Los dejé un día de marzo;

Cinco años van desde entonces.

Ancha mi vos y serena;

La suya opaca y de cobre

Miré brillar las pupilas

En un fulgor de emociones.

-  Acompañaré al amigo

Hasta que trasponga el monte.

Cinco jinetes tomaron

Rumbo a las constelaciones

Bajaron cinco jinetes

Con firmes pasos de bronce.

Cuatro pararon de pronto

Y el otro siguió hacia el norte,

Después de estrechar las manos

Tendidas de los cuatro hombres.

Clareó más tarde en el cielo.

Amanecer de limones.

Palabras de agua liviana.

Pájaros madrugadores.

Cerca, maitenes y boldos;

Lejos, Rancagua  y sus torres;

Y entre sus casas, mi casa,

Con ciruelos y parrones

¡y mi madre con sus ojos

De mares y horizontes!

Detrás el recuerdo grande

De un bandido que era un hombre.

FINALLY, THE VIDEO SHOWING CHILEAN SCENERY.

AND TWO MORE PHOTOS FROM CHILE 

 

Click to enlarge

 Source: pato novoa, CC BY 2.0. Flickr

Click to enlarge

Source; Pablo T, CC BY 2.0. Flickr

I hope you have enjoyed this post, it was really fun to write!

I did a lot of research for this!

See you on the next post!

© 2013  jveronr  (Joan Robertson)

I will be very happy to receive your comments! Just click the word “comments” lower down.