Xavier of Edinburgh
We currently have five poems by Xavier of Edinburgh. These poems are written in the Catalan language and spoken to music by Xavier. There is an © English Translation by James Thomas at the end of each Catalan poem. The English translation is read by Rebecca Lowe. You can listen to them all one after the other using the playlist below or if you prefer you can click the links further down to read a specific poem whilst listening to it.
Read and listen to Aigües De Lampedusa (Waters of Lampedusa)
Aigües De Lampedusa
A tots aquells que s’hi enfonsaren
Aigües de Lampedusa,
surant porteu a la mà,
humans, fredors, espines,
horror de naufragar.
Costes de Lampedusa,
mirall d’errívol destí,
arribats al remolí,
sona la cornamusa.
Crestes de Siracusa,
la cançó de l’estimar,
deserts, penes, sirenes,
intentes acaronar.
Tantes cares i presències, homes lliures i clemències,
éssers animats, explotats, oprimits i doblegats.
Gentils de Lampedusa,
algú sempre de matí,
acollint sense festí,
germans de la mar difusa.
Crestes de Lampedusa,
desencant del pelegrí,
tota gràcia ai querubí!,
aquesta Europa confusa.
Costes de Grècia i Turquia, Líbia, Síria i Egipte,
Costes de Ceuta i Melilla / Aigües Mediterrànies
Mare Nostrum, Pater Nostrum….
Consciència de viure i sentir,
encant del vostre camí,
tota gràcia és l’avenir,
ressona la cornamusa
amb gong de revolta inclosa.
Waters of lampedusa
To all who were submerged there
Waters of Lampedusa,
keeping afloat in your hand,
humans, iciness, vertebrae,
shipwreck horror unplanned.
Coasts of Lampedusa,
model off-target Mecca,
as the maelstrom hits the deck,
a hunting horn resounds.
Crests of Syracuse,
song of love and noblesse,
deserts, sorrows, sirens,
you’re trying to caress.
So many faces and presences, free men and clemencies,
beings alive, exploited, oppressed and bent double.
Kind hearts of Open Arms,
always someone at sunrise,
there, sink or swim, to pick brothers from the frothing sea.
Coasts of Greece and Turkey, Syria, Libya and Egypt, Coasts of Ceuta and Melilla / Mediterranean Waters
Mare Nostrum, Pater Nostrum….
Sense of living, sense of touch, pilgrim’s trick of fortune, all grace to the cherubim, this Europe in confusion.
Echoes the hunting horn
alongside a gong of mutiny.
Read and listen to Casal De Pobres (House of the poor)
Casal de pobres
Casal de pobres
la llar d’oprimits.
Obriu les portes
Senyors distingits.
La mare i els bens
les mules un bou.
Arriben els nens
somriure no cou.
Estels de Nadal
Amors de Noel
Descobrir la pau
A sota el teu vel.
La verge enyora
paraules al vent.
L’infant somia
un poble amatent.
Nadal de pobres
un mar d’oprimits.
Obriu les portes
cofois ben servits.
El pare i els bens
les mules el bou.
Desfilen els nens
quan ja surt el sol.
Flors i rapsodes
cantaires moderns.
Càndides noies
aromes d’encens.
La vida és coratge
i el silenci, plor.
No n’extingiu l’esperit!
House of the poor
House of the poor
the home of the oppressed.
Open the doors
Distinguished gentlemen.
The mother and the lambs
the mules an ox.
The children arrive
Smile does not boil.
Christmas stars
Loves of Santa
Discover peace
Under your veil.
The virgin misses
words on the wind.
The child is dreaming
an attentive people.
Poor Christmas
a sea of oppressed.
Open the doors
pleased well served.
The father and the lambs
the mules the ox.
The children parade
when the sun rises.
Flowers and rhapsodes
modern songwriters.
Candid girls
incense aromas.
Life is courage
and silence, weeping.
Don’t give up the spirit!
Read and listen to La Viatgera dels Ulls Tristos (The Traveler with Sad Eyes)
La viatgera dels ulls tristos
La viatgera dels ulls tristos,
dels ulls que somriuen sonàmbula.
Princesa blanca de la nit,
princesa dels hangars del vent.
Com mercaderes amb la mort.
La mort dels cossos de raïm.
Qui mai podrà cridar el teu nom?
Oh, bulevard dels condemnats!
Com dus en tu l’adolescència?
Amb draperies d’or i rosa.
Com dus en tu la teva mort?
El pintallavis de la lluna.
El teu cos els ulls quan somrius.
Els veig no els veig en la primavera.
Al metro blau de suau intens.
Al carrer mau de dol pervers.
Qui mai podrà cridar el teu nom?
Oh, bulevard dels condemnats.
El mite del cor és real.
S’ha estroncat la font de jovença.
The traveler with sad eyes
The traveler with sad eyes,
of smiling eyes while sleepwalking.
White Princess of the night,
princess of the wind hangars.
Like merchants with death.
The death of grape bodies.
Who will ever be able to call your name?
Oh, the boulevard of the damned!
How are you doing as a teenager?
With gold and rose draperies.
How do you carry your own death?
The lipstick of the moon.
Your body your eyes when you smile.
I see them I don’t see them in the spring.
In the intense blue subway.
In the evil street of wicked mourning.
Who will ever be able to call your name?
Oh, boulevard of the damned.
The myth of the heart is real.
The source of youth has been cut short.
Read and listen to Primavera a Tànger (Spring in Tangier)
Primavera a Tànger
Respira dur el mar
i a la sorra escassa
els ocellls busquen,
ombra en el regnat.
A terra una ciutat
de cridòria amable
quan el nen demana
la seva oportunitat.
Formes de blau,
desinflant-se el món
es fon un gripau
que ningú mai confon.
Primavera a Tànger,
quina meravella,
a una dama bella
tot el somni escau.
I sona el gembre
esperit exprés
avui en dia
tot és permès.
De la mà d’Assís,
ara amb un somrís,
o de l’Abdullah,
venedor d’anís.
Darbuka, perkuta, carcabes, postrof
Lluna plena a Fès
per amor empès,
diviso cortès,
la fe del maltès.
Me’n vaig camí de Meknès
i de Marràqueix, després
mentre l’Aladino
encén la seva llàntia
amb alguna llàgrima de pes.
Spring in Tangier
Breathing hard the sea
and on the sparse sand
the birds are looking for,
shadow in the reign.
On the ground a city
of kind uproar
when the child asks
for her chance.
Shapes of blue,
deflating the world
a toad melts
that never confuses anyone.
Spring in Tangier,
what a wonder
to a beautiful lady
all sleep falls.
And the gembre sounds
express spirit
nowadays
everything is allowed.
From the hand of Assisi,
now with a smile
or Abdullah,
anise seller.
Darbuka, percussion, carcabes, postrof
Full moon in Fez
for love pushed,
courteous divisor,
the faith of Malta.
I’m on my way to Meknes
and from Marrakech,
afterwards
while Aladdin
he lights his lamp
with some tears with weight.
Read and listen to Virus d’Ipiranga (Ipiranga Virus)
Virus d’Ipiranga
Virus d’Ipiranga
baba imperceptible
fas anar de bòlit
l’univers sencer.
Provoques espasmes
mareigs i fatigues
a tantes persones
ja te’n vols endur.
Virus de guspira
ruta de la seda
fas anar de bòlit
el planeta freak.
Temps d’incertesa,
escola sense ànimes,
la tribu s’inquieta
i el mercat també.
Virus de la punyeta
material sensible
fas anar de bòlit
la mona al carrer.
Gràcies a la ciència,
a les infermeres.
Als sanitaris i metges
per la vocació.
A la dignitat
de tants professionals.
Feines invisibles
de la societat.
Virus d’Ipiranga
gota misteriosa
marques el camí
de la fraternitat.
Ara deixa’ns respirar!
Ipiranga virus
Ipiranga virus
imperceptible drool
snowing under
the whole universe.
It causes spasms
dizziness and fatigue
to so many people
you want to take.
Spark virus
silk route
snowing under
the planet freak.
Time of uncertainty,
soulless school,
the tribe is worried
and the market too.
Damn virus
sensitive material
snowing under
the monkey on the street.
Thanks to science,
to nurses.
To health workers and doctors by vocation.
To dignity
of so many professionals.
Invisible jobs
of society.
Ipiranga virus
mysterious drop
mark the way
of fraternity.
Now let us breathe!
Xavier of Edinburgh
Xavier d’Edinburgh (Tenes Valley, 1968) is a philosopher and teacher. Writes and recites texts driven by the need to promote and strengthen the dialogue of values between people and continents. In Conducta editors he has published “Jo l’Emili (I, Emil- A story of a truncated life, “Somiava despert en la claridad de la flama (I was dreaming in the clarity of the flame)”, “La dansa del rampell (The dance of the prick)”, and “Passió per divagar (Passion of rambling)”; and 50 stories in the magazine “Ronçana”. His latest work is a series of reciting with Vallesian musics ‘Jugant a l’amor (Playing with Love’ (2017) can be listened on Spotify.
Xavier d’Edimburg (Vall del Tenes, 1968) és filòsof i docent. Escriu i recita textos empès per la necessitat de promoure i enfortir el diàleg de valors entre persones i continents. A Conducta editors ha publicat Jo l’Emili, història d’una vida truncada, Somiava despert en la claredat de la flama, La dansa del rampell, i Passió per divagar. 50 escrits a la revista Ronçana. El seu darrer treball ‘Jugant a l’amor’ (2017) es pot escoltar a Spotify. Treballa acompanyat de músics vallesans.
Xavier was accompanied by ProjecteJÚLIA, who are Carol Romero vocalist and lyricist and Jordi Picas composer and guitarist.
ProjecteJÚLIA – Facebook
ProjecteJÚLIA – Instagram
Passio Per Divagar - by Xavier of Edinburgh
A collection of modern poems, written in Catalan by Xavier of Edinburgh