jorge manrique, one of our most distinguished poets from the dawn of literature as well as a man of arms, passed away a day like today of 1479 when i was fighting for Isabel the Catholic in his dynastic war against Juana la Beltraneja. He was buried in the monastery of Ucles.
About forty compositions of his poetic work are preserved and the most famous are the Coplas to the death of his father. Today we remember him with a selection of other poems.
Jorge Manrique — Selected poems
Who wants to see you so much
I
Who wants to see you so much,
ma'am, without knowing you,
what will he do after he sees you,
when I couldn't see you?
II
Great fear has my life
to look at your presence,
Well, love in your absence
he wounded me with such a wound;
although dangerous it is,
delight to meet you,
and if I die because I see you,
my victory will be to see you.
Songs
Don't be long, Death, I'm dying;
come, because I live with you;
love me, because I love you,
that with your coming I hope
not have war with me.
Joyful Life Remedy
there is no way,
because my serious injury
it is from such a part come
What are you the only remedy?
Come here, then, since I die;
look for me, because I follow you;
love me, because I love you,
and with your coming I hope
not have life with me
Why, while he was sleeping, did his friend kiss him?
You committed treason
Well, you hurt me, sleeping
from a wound that I understand
that will be greater passion
the desire of another
hurt as you gave me,
that does not hurt or bad
nor harm that you did me.
I forgive my death;
but with such conditions,
what of such betrayals
commit a thousand every day;
but all against me
because, in this way,
I don't like that another dies
Well, I deserved it.
Who was not in the presence...
Who was not in the presence,
do not have faith in trust,
because they are oblivion and moving
absence conditions.
Who wants to be loved
work to be present,
that as soon as he is absent,
so soon it will be forgotten:
and lose all hope
who was not in the presence,
because they are oblivion and moving
absence conditions.
Wall
absence can change
love in another want,
but not that it has power
to make forget
because being me cativo
of a lady that I don't see,
I have such a new desire
I don't know how I live.
And for this to think
that absence changes love,
but not that it has power
to be able to forget
To a very beautiful lady
Gentle lady, very beautiful,
in whom so much grace fits,
who made you praise you,
that my language no longer dares
nor does he know.
And then beautiful name
He made you like a jewel
who will dare but the one
whose mighty hand
did to you what did he do to him?
Compare that the rich febrería
who makes it is who glazes it,
Well, beauty so tall,
who breeds it
so without fail
And if anyone here wants
to think that he wants to praise you,
go see you, and if I see you,
when i finish looking at you
He will only know how to adore you.
Because even if I make a face
in perfection the painter,
always has some fear
that he would do it, if he looked,
Much better.
but who raised you
is not afraid of this,
because in all your gesture
the figures he painted
great kindness he gave them.
End So I find that God
and his glorious Mother
they did not raise so precious
beauty like you
not so beautiful
And so much perfection
they gave you without difference,
to your great excellency
I write in conclusion:
"God make your song."
In a deadly sore...
I
In a deadly sore,
unequal,
who is on the sinister side,
you will know later which one
is the loyal
servant and lover;
because you did it
to me after defeated
in the charm
that you, lady, won
when i got lost
and you dear
II
this sad fight
what do you want
my tongue already declare,
you need to see it
and creates it
your grace without a doubt;
because my will is faith,
and whoever doubts something in him,
I would doubt
in doubt that certain I know
that never be saved
of heresy.
III
because I have taken great fear
and beware
of your little believe,
for this reason I have been late
to make you know before
the cause of this fact:
how have my passions been
suffered;
to be, therefore, satisfied,
should be my reasons
well believed.
IV
Ma'am, why would it be?
very wasteful
all my said reason,
if the doubt does not please
with your guide,
which is called Discretion;
as in it no longer doubt,
well it is true and very true
what I write,
before you help me so much,
that I am certainly dead,
be alive.
V
CABLE
Well, is this an experience?
that you have already known
this luck,
for not giving a belief,
there is no reason to take life
and kill.
Source: Cervantes Virtual Library