Lingua Franca

Jarchas from SPN 706 Graduate Students

By Kristine Doll

Jarchas (kharjas) are brief poetic jewels dating as far back as the 10th century. They are the first poems written in Mozarabic, a Romance dialect spoken in southern Spain. Jarchas appeared as the final verses of longer poems written in Arabic or Hebrew and were usually sung to audiences who would have recognized them. Jarchas are characterized by notes of desire, longing and sensuality. Written by men in the voices of women who long for the return of their beloved ones, jarchas are poignant glimpses into the emotional realm of men and women in early Spain. The following short poems in jarcha style, were written by graduate students in the course SPN 706.

Estás al fin del mar gris y vacío
tus perlas reflejando sombríamente
y yo mirando de orilla esperándote
mi habibi querido al horizonte

– Sarah Murphy

Sadiiqi se ha vuelto a ir
Wa hada al-marra es para siempre
Ya umii, si mi corazón no vuelve ma’i
¿Qué haré cuando amanezca sin él?

Traducción:

Mi amigo se ha vuelto a ir
Y esta vez es para siempre
Ay madre, si él no vuelve conmigo
¿Qué haré cuando amanezca sin él?

– Stephanie Swiszcz

¿Cóm’ vivre yo meu sidi Daniel?
Sin el rojo de tu pelo y el azul de tus ojos
Sin tu cariño habibi,
Nada tiene sentido.

– Maria Koehler

¿Ke farey, yaummi?
Al-wahs me no faras.
Garid bos, mamma
sinal’habibnon bibre’yo

¿What will I do, mother?
I know, you won’t abandon me.
Tell me, mother
I won’t live without my love.

– Anabella Dominick

Mio habib me muero
Por tuyo harara
Regresa pronto, mi qualb
Está vacío sin tuyo amor.

– Karen Harvey

Quand te vidi, sadiqi,
Mea lugha non sentia,
Meus olhos foram todos
Nocte feitos y non vedian.

Cuando te vi, amigo,
No sentia mi lengua,
Mis ojos se me oscurecieron
Como la noche y no veían nada.

– Scott Sumrall