Where can I find the entire poem that the line "ceniza enamorada seré"
(in that order) comes from? There is (maybe are) a modern version that
borrows the words and changes their order. I want the original which
is at least 30-40 years old, probably much more.

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Request for Question Clarification by crabcakes-ga on 04 Dec 2003 13:48 PST

Hello mamins,

 I have been looking for your poem, with little sucess.
Do  you remember where you heard this, or in which country this poem
was written? I found the modern version to which you refer, I believe:

http://usuarios.lycos.es/detramontana/sara3p.htm

The above poem seems to have been written a year or two ago, by a
young woman in Argentina.

Any other bits of information you have may help locate the original poem.

Regards, crabcakes-ga

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Clarification of Question by mamins-ga on 05 Dec 2003 09:51 PST

Hi, The only thing I can add is that the author was most likely
Spanish: meaning of Spain, not a Latin American country. And, yes, the
contemporary poem at the lycos site is the copycat. I heard the poem
read aloud about 40 years or more ago. I also think the line ends the
poem but wouldn't swear to that.
Good luck.

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Request for Question Clarification by crabcakes-ga on 05 Dec 2003 13:28 PST

mamins, I have searched numerous Spanish poetry sites, and have been
unable to find you poem. Could this one possibly be it? The words are
not in the order you suggested, but I was hoping it could be it.

http://www.poesi.as/fq48078.htm

If not, do you remember if it was a child's poem? Was it long or short?
I'm still searching!

Regards, crabcakes-ga

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Clarification of Question by mamins-ga on 06 Dec 2003 11:42 PST

Hello and thank you. You found it. I apologize for the faulty memory
which undoubtably made the search harder, I appreciate that you hung
in.
Mamins
P.S. More than worth the $3 to see that poem again many years after
the person who read it to me left for other shores.

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Request for Question Clarification by crabcakes-ga on 06 Dec 2003 12:14 PST

Hello mamins, I am delighted to have found it!
May I then post it as the answer?
Regards,
crabcakes-ga

Hello/Ola mamins,

Since you have verified that I found the correct poem, I am posting it
as the official answer!

AMOR CONSTANTE MÁS ALLÁ DE LA MUERTE 


Cerrar podrá mis ojos la postrera 
Sombra que me llevare el blanco día, 
Y podrá desatar esta alma mía 
Hora, a su afán ansioso lisonjera; 

Mas no de esotra parte en la ribera 
Dejará la memoria, en donde ardía: 
Nadar sabe mi llama el agua fría, 
Y perder el respeto a ley severa. 

Alma, a quien todo un Dios prisión ha sido, 
Venas, que humor a tanto fuego han dado, 
Médulas, que han gloriosamente ardido, 

Su cuerpo dejará, no su cuidado; 
Serán ceniza, mas tendrá sentido; 
Polvo serán, mas polvo enamorado.
 
            Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas
 

 
http://www.poesi.as/fq48078.htm

You may be interested in reading about the autor!

http://www.usc.es/~quevd/welcome.html

http://www.spanish-books.net/masters/quevedo.htm

Sinceramente,
crabcakes-ga

crabcakes-ca was more than helpful. I appreciate the patience and dediction.
mamins

Thank you for the stars and the nice tip, mamins! 
crabcakes-ga