Last Night as I was Sleeping

So, today, I interviewed one of my favorite poets/authors - Mirabai Starr - translator of the Spanish mystics such as St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa of Avila - Mirabai's introduction to her translation of the Interior Castle is one of the most incredible pieces of writing I have ever read! :). It was really exciting and breath-taking to interview her since I began the interview with a prayer, and I felt the Divine throughout the interview.

So, I asked her, near the end of the interview - what Spanish poem do you reccomend which you like?
She reccommended to me the following poem. It is truly amazing!

Last Night As I Was Sleeping by 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 to 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 by Robert Bly