Don Quixote

To dream the impossible dream… To reach the unreachable star!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original image can be seen at Wikimedia Commons (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Honor%C3%A9_Daumier_017.jpg).  This painting by Honoré Daumier (1868) is in the public domain worldwide.

 

Don Quixote

 

Dedication

 

Let me praise yet once again

This errant knight so true

Despite the slights dealt by the world

He’d honor ne’er eschew

 

So lift in song...Yes!  Once again!

His deeds so fame accrues

Let horn be blown, banners unfurled

Fill hearts with hope anew!

 

          --Cide Hamete Benengeli¹

 

 

The Knight

 

Oh Sancho, help me up again!

Hold Rocinante’s² haggard mane

Into the saddle I must rise

Become again foul evil’s bane

 

‘Though hands are weak and I am old

And I should rest, or so I’m told

I cannot rest while monsters roam

So I must fight with valor bold

 

          Ingenious³ this Spanish Don

          This noble knight, La Mancha

          Ingenious that he should see

          More clearly, friend, than you or me!

 

Oh Sancho, how my body aches!

And note my hand, see how it shakes

Yet still I cannot rest today

When Satan pact with villain makes

 

So hand me lance and then my sword

I fight for honor, not reward

And with devotion brave and true

I will disperse the evil hordes

 

          Ingenious this Spanish Don

          This noble knight, La Mancha

          Ingenious that he should see

          More clearly, friend, than you or me!

 

Oh Sancho, world’s weight numbs my mind!

My eyes are weak, yet I’m not blind

My duty, honor, these shine bright

For these I fight, protect Mankind

 

And Oh, for Dulcinea⁴ fair

Her shinning eyes, her lustrous hair

My life I’d give to see her face

Injustice and fierce torture bear

 

          Ingenious this Spanish Don

          This noble knight, La Mancha

          Ingenious that he should see

          More clearly, friend, than you or me!

 

Oh Sancho, help me to the ground!

I feel my weight, yes every pound

All life in me is nearly gone

I'll soon rest in the burial mound

 

Soon from this body soul takes flight

Oh Sancho, I can feel the Night!

But hear that clamor--evil’s call

Now help me rise...For I must fight!

 

 

 

©2010, Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

 

 

Notes:

 

     This poem honors the marvelous novel by the early 15^th century Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes.  The full title of his work commonly referred to as “Don Quixote”, is “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha”, or in Spanish “El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha", which has been called the most influential work of all of Spanish literature.  The story is about a delusional (or so it may seem) old Spaniard that decides to wander the countryside as an errant knight with his faithful servant Sancho Panza.  Seeing evil and monsters in everything (e.g., windmills are mistaken for giants in one episode), Quixote refuses to be rational, insisting on the importance of his holy quest to fight evil.  Cervantes’ novel has inspired countless people and in 1972 was made into a popular Broadway musical, “Man of La Mancha”.  One of the songs from that musical, “The Impossible Dream” became very popular and encapsulates Quixote perfectly:

 

The Impossible Dream

from MAN OF LA MANCHA (1972)

music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion

 

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

 

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

 

This is my quest

To follow that star

No matter how hopeless

No matter how far

 

To fight for the right

Without question or pause

To be willing to march into Hell

For a heavenly cause

 

And I know if I'll only be true

To this glorious quest

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm

When I'm laid to my rest

 

And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To reach the unreachable star

 

^[1]Cide Hamete Benengeli is the fictional Moorish chronicler of Quixote’s deeds created by Cervantes.  So it is only appropriate that he should provide the dedication to this poem.

 

^[2]Rocinante is Quixote’s horse.  In Spanish, “Rocin” means a low quality horse, whereas “ante” means before.  So the horse’s name literally means it was a low quality horse before, i.e., before Quixote’s noble quest.  But “Rocin” can also be applied to men, suggesting that the entire party, horse, Quixote, and Sancho, were all low quality before their quest.

 

^[3]A reference to the full title of Cervantes’ work and the indication by Cervantes that there is more to Quixote and his quest than meets the eye.

 

^[4]Dulcinea (Dulcinea of El Toboso) is Quixote’s imagined love.  In actuality her real name is Aldonza Lorenzo, a common farm girl.  Just as with the name of Quixote’s horse, Cervantes played with language in naming Dulcinea.  According to Wikipedia, in the Spanish of the time, Dulcinea means overly elegant sweetness, i.e., this is an allusion to an illusionary princess.

 

 

Reviews

[Evan Clark]

A poem with end-notes! Marvelous! Of course, the notes only enrich and enhance the text. They would have to be included in any publication of this work, not only because of their informative nature, but also because they create a whole new form of poem. I don't know if that was your intention, but it was certainly interesting. As for the impossible dreams of Quixote, his dedication to the ideal, in the face of mere wordly acceptance, serves as a beacon of hope in every dreamer. Through his struggle, we know to never let slip the impossible, even though our hands become weary and ragged, and age claims its toll on our mortal flesh. Like the Man of La Mancha, we do not let go because we are compelled to dream.

[Zahra]

Soon from this body soul takes flight
Oh Sancho, I can feel the Night!
But hear that clamor--evil’s call
Now help me rise...For I must fight!

Wonderful ending and a really educational piece. Thanks for this one. :)

[Brittany Zedalis]

Now, this is a new type of poem for me on here. Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

[J. Kell]

I believe that Cervantes would love this. Your poem captured the character of Don Quixote beautifully.I am always thrilled to see people writing about classic literature.

[Legion]

Thrilling, however, the original transcript had him riding a pig. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)

Well done. Always loved the story.

[Charles D. Moorer]

Nicely done; the annotation is spot on!

[JENY]

Bravo….
A great piece of writing…indeed…
Rarely we meet persons interested in various branches of knowledge...
Really a nice work...Rick

[Tate Morgan]

You are quite the scholar again

[Ellen Hammond]

Another masterpiece, my friend! I haven't thought of Don Quixote for many years but you have awakened a hunger to re-read the book. In this amazing poem, you have managed to bring the character to life, depicting his bravery and strength of spirit which spur him on to continue his quest, despite his aging and weakening body. Regardless of whether he was delusional or not, his love and foes were real to him.

This poem is another fine example of your skill and ability to get inside a character's head to emphasize the thoughts and emotions that drive him to do what he does. Great job!