Thread: Antonio Machado's La Saeta (in Spanish)

This is one of the most beautiful poems I have come across lately. I've written a first translation, but the very last line of the poem still puzzles me. Though I can translate it literally, I am still confused as to what Machado means to say. If anyone knows, or could share his/her own interpretation, I'd be very thankful.

Here's a link to the poem sung by Joan Manuel Serrat:
YouTube - La Saeta Serrat Antonio Machado


La Saeta by Antonio Machado

Dijo una voz popular:
¿Quién me presta una escalera
para subir al madero
para quitarle los clavos
a Jesús el Nazareno?

Oh, la saeta, el cantar
al Cristo de los gitanos
siempre con sangre en las manos,
siempre por desenclavar.

Cantar del pueblo andaluz
que todas las primaveras
anda pidiendo escaleras
para subir a la cruz.

Cantar de la tierra mía
que echa flores
al Jesús de la agonía
y es la fe de mis mayores.

¡Oh, no eres tú mi cantar
no puedo cantar, ni quiero
a este Jesús del madero
sino al que anduvo en la mar!

you're right.....it is a most beautiful poem.....I take the last verse to mean:

I can not sing(worship), not do I want to, to the Jesus of wood(cross, death), but to the one(son of God)that walked on the sea(the living Christ)

In other words....I will not dwell about the Man that died on the cross but of the Man that has arisen and is alive.

Thanks a lot, Terrib. I first wondered whether it had to do with some of those Holy Grail theories, i.e. Jesus not dying but escaping to Europe etc. I must say I like your interpretation better.