Xavier Panadès i Blas
We currently have five poems by Xavier Panadès i Blas. 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 La Malenconia Del Bressol (Cradle's Melancholy)
LA MALENCONIA DEL BRESSOL
Espero i desitjo, l’aparició,
observant i patint, el corcó.
Sento i pateixo, la passió,
asseient-me i remant, amb sensacions.
No siguis realista,
i perdis la malenconia
del bressol.
Estudio i posseeixo, l’Assumpció,
collint i aixafant, les nocions.
Desitjo i persegueixo, el destí,
sense consumir cap tipus, de verí.
No siguis realista,
i perdis la malenconia
del bressol.
Assassinen i exterminen, per crear,
manipulant i administrant, sense escoltar.
Riuen i vomiten, amb la perfecció,
per morir en olor de santedat.
No siguis realista,
i perdis la malenconia
del bressol.
THE CRADLE’S MELANCHOLY
I’m waiting, willing
the appearance
in observance,
bearing the bore;
I’m feeling, suffering
the passion,
in repose, rowing with
sensations
Don’t be a realist and
lose the cradle’s
melancholy
I study and possess
The Assumption ,
picking out and crushing
notions;
I crave destiny
in full pursuit,
consuming no
manner of poison
Don’t be a realist and
lose the cradle’s
melancholy
They assassinate and
exterminate to create,
manipulating
in deaf administration;
they laugh and vomit
to perfection,
to die in the odour of
sanctitude
Don’t be a realist and
lose the cradle’s
melancholy
Read and listen to La Fruita Del Temps (Times Fruit)
LA FRUITA DEL TEMPS
La fruita ja no madura
com abans,
perquè la pluja i la
calor són inconstants.
Les gotes de la pluja
ara són de colors,
encara que cremin
totes les flors.
Les cireres es mengen grogues,
i els tomàquets rosats,
perquè el sol és tímid,
i s’ha amagat.
Els Pirineus ja no són
ni nadalencs ni blancs,
perquè la neu
s’ha descongelat.
Les taronges ja no
tenen ni pell ni suc,
i només se les
cruspeixen els rucs.
Les glans del bosc són
tan petites,
que fins i tot els porcs
senglars s’han encongit.
TIME’S FRUIT
The fruit doesn’t ripen
like before,
as rain and heat
aren’t constant any more.
Drops from rain
now come in colours,
even though they burn
all the flowers.
Cherries are eaten yellow
and tomatoes pink,
because the sun is shy
and retiring.
The Pyrenees have lost
their Christmas white,
because the snow has
thawed away.
Oranges contain
no juice or zest,
just husk and rind
for donkeys’ at best,
Forest acorns are so
small today,
that even wild boars
have wasted away.
Read and listen to Coco I Kika (Cuko and Kika)
CUCO I KIKA
Aquestes cosetes,
blanquetes i negretes,
estan amagadetes,
a sota el sofà.
Petitetes com ratetes,
amb quatres potetes,
sense panxetes
i amb molta fam.
Cuco i Kika,
no us espanteu,
sortiu a jugar,
que no us cruspirem.
Acabades de néixer,
en un món diferent,
s’amaguen perquè,
no saben què fer.
La més petiteta,
darrere la grandeta,
tremola amb pànic,
perquè no sap on és.
Ara fa una caqueta,
a la catifeta,
tant blanqueta,
que sembla un copròlit.
Cuco i Kika,
no us amagueu,
sortiu a menjar,
i no marxareu,
Cuco i Kika,
les meves gatetes,
ara ja grandetes,
que sempre estimarééééééééééééééé!
CUCO AND KIKA
These sweet little things,
speckled white and black,
they’re hiding,
under the sofa.
Teeny like little mice,
with four tiny paws,
no tummies to speak of,
and very hungry.
Cuco and Kika,
don’t be afraid,
come out and play,
we won’teat you up.
Just a while ago born
In an unusual world,
they’re hiding because,
theydon’t know what to do.
The tinier of the two,
behind the bigger one,
trembles in panic,
not knowing where she is.
Now she does a little poop,
on the carpet,
So hard and white,
It’s like coprolite.
Cuco and Kika,
don’t hide away,
come out and eat,
and you won’t run away.
Cuco and Kika,
my littlekittens
already getting so big,
I’ll always love youuuuu!
Read and listen to Res Do Not (Nothing New)
RES DE NOU
Núvols grisos i mal sons,
caramels suaus i obsessions.
Pluja groga i bufolles,
tota la merda que omple ampolles.
Desitjos llunyans i grans focs,
fantasies il·lustres i rovellons.
Somnis lluents i caps de setmana,
tota la vida que demanava.
Res de nou.
Tothom sota el jou.
El que ven llibertat
és un estafador ben pagat.
Orelles captives i cabells de colors,
ulls en blanc i sensacions.
Nassos enfarinats i caps buits,
tota la vida farcida de nous rics
Res de nou.
Tothom sota el jou.
El que ven llibertat
és un estafador ben pagat.
Fonamentalismes immediats,
llibertats publicitàries.
Informacions temeràries,
ajustaments ordinaris.
NOTHING NEW
Murky clouds and nightmares,
mushy toffees and obsessions.
Yellow rain and mottles,
all the crap of brimming bottles.
Distant longings and giant flames,
splendid fantasies and mushrooms.
Shiny dreams and week-ends,
all the life I asked for.
Nothing new.
Everyone under yoke.
He, who sells freedom
is a well-paid trickster.
Ears enslaved and multi-coloured hair,
vacant eyes and sensations.
Floured nostrils and empty heads,
the fully-loaded life of the nouveau riche.
Nothing new.
Everyone under yoke.
He, who sells freedom
is a well-paid trickster.
Immediate fundemantalisms,
freedom flyers
Reckless news,
humdrum readjustments.
Read and listen to El volcà silenciós (Silent Volcano)
El volcà silenciós
al mig del teu pit,
retruny amb un crit
que omple la meva buidor.
Els meus ulls vermells
ja no ploren de ràbia,
ara nets com rius gelats,
volen pels espais consagrats.
El teu cabell negre
encreua colors perfectes,
impossibles de copiar
ni tan sols pels mestres.
Mai m’ha deixat
el teu amor, la teva màgia,
de rentar la meva buidor
de ràbia i mala maror.
Dedicat a la Ryoko
The quiet volcano
inside your breast
echoes with a cry
that fills my emptiness.
My red eyes
no longer cry with rage,
clear now as frozen rivers,
they steal through consecrated spaces.
Your black hair cuts
across perfect colours,
impossible to copy
even by the masters.
Your love and your magic
have never stopped
cleansing my emptiness
from the anger and turmoil.
Dedicated to Ryoko
Xavier Panadès i Blas
Xavier Panadès i Blas was born in Barcelona in 1970, and adopted by Palau-Solità i Plegamans. He is a printmaker, and writer, musician and performer in Catalan, Castilian and English. He has published his poetry, released several albums, and has exhibited his artworks widely across the UK. He currently lives in Abertawe.
You can listen to more of Xavier’s work here:-
Xavier “THE CATALAN”
The muscial collaborators are:-
Errol Hewitt-Guitar
Ailsa Mair Hughes-Cello
Sean McBride-Saxophone
James Hollingsworth-Ambient effects
Kate Fletcher-Fiddle
Dave Dorfman-Flute
Jimmy Cantera Gómez-Piano
Uri Green – Producer
