Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79.

Spain: Guadalquivir, the River

To the Guadalquivir

By Luis de Góngora (1561–1627)

Translated by Edward Churton

LORD of the subject floods, so strong, so fair,

Bright heir of fame, of waters crystalline,

Whose brows a garland rude of sturdy pine

Hath girdled, and thy wavy-streaming hair;

Where from thy rock-built nest in cavern bare

Thou leavest cold Segura’s mountain-side,

And, proudly foaming, royally dost ride

To Andalusian vales and summer air:

Tell me, while on thy fruitful banks I stray,

Rapt with thy wondrous beauty, yet with awe,

That bids my feet thy bright sands softly press,

Of all the village-maidens fair as day,

Imaged in thee, if e’er thy waters saw

A grace to vie with Clara’s loveliness.