MARCOS GOMES-CATÃO [email protected] alPatria Amada (Beloved Motherland) A SONG FOR GOA
The following lines have been specially composed to be sung to the tune of Giuseppe VERDI's 'NABUCCO' Pátria Amada, Pérola de mi corazòn[1] The heart flutters when I think of thee Who gave us the acme of our good life Thru the enchanting Arcadia of childhood Spilling from the cup of Joy's plenitude. No hint then of rueful dawning pall in adulthood. Pátria Amada, tantos recuerdos de tu amor Imposible de jamás olvidar,[2] When the lilting maynah[3] woke us in the morning Ere the church bell began slowly, softly pealing And we exhaled the sweet fragrance of our land Now sadly lost to Alien hands Now we sorrowful lament the land you have become And recall the balmy land you once were With your calming 'Dolce far niente' air Of a pristine mythic bucolic lair Cumbered by a vacuous Philistine crassitude. Cry, my country, for the world now gone, That native home embodying serene Shangri-La, Whose death mournful moans loud proclaim Pátria Amada, el mundo de ayer se fué Para no más volver,[4] Carved in a heart forlorn. How weep thy fate the drooping leaves To the swaying palms' saddened strains!! With weary wings fancy takes flight 'midst the darkening shadows of that night Pátria Amada, eras singular melodia de amor Ahora con ojos llorosos, cerrados llenos de dolor[5] You were a soothing, transfixing song of love that haunted, How swiftly into funeral dirge transformed Ringing in the ears like echoes of bells Tolling in sorrow and despair At the shades of Hades descended on you Longing for freedom’s morning bright As we sorrowful lament the land you’ve become Recalling the balmy land you once were With your calming 'Dolce far niente' air Of a pristine mythic bucolic lair Devoid of any vacuous Philistine crassitude. Cry, my country, for the world now gone, That native home embodying serene Shangri-La, --------------------------------------- 1 Pearl of my Heart (in Spanish) 2 So many memories of your love, impossible to ever forget 3 Maynah = small black singing bird in Goa 4 Yesterday's world has gone, never more to return 5 You were a unique melody of love, now with tearful eyes, closed brimming with pain 'Dolce far niente' = literally, sweet do nothing, 'Sussegad' Taken from my book of poems, 'VOICES of PASSION'
