Poem of the Deep Song/Poema Del Cante Jondo

Rating:
Summary: What? No one has reviewed this delightful book?
Review: Lorca has written both an essay on Deep Song and a book of Deep Song poetry - they should be read together.

While Lorca, Falla and others' theory of the origin of Deep Song in the gypsy tradition is now discounted, the sensitivity Lorca shows in trying to retain a traditional form is wonderful. [Current theory gives more influence to the original Andalusian, Saracen, and Shephardic influences which had already developed into Deep Song when the gypsies arrived].

In fact, one should also read some Arab-Andulsian poetry along with Deep Song. The poems of Deep Song are not Lorca's best but they are important for understanding Lorca's cultural sensibilities. The use of refrains, the use of a varient of the opening stanza as a closing stanza etc. are techniques that are clearly in the hands of a master although the poems were written early in his career.

Now, if I could only find out the meaning of certain repeating images such as yellow serpent.