Basque Songs in English: Anari - Geuk Piztutako Suak (The Fire We Lit)

Basque musicians singing in a language with less than two million speakers in the world face the difficulty of having a small number of people appreciating their words. They often write translations of the songs into Spanish, French and English in their CD booklets, but I'd like to share some songs, with my own (highly inadequate) translations (like all translations, there's always some magic lost).

Anari is one of my favourite singer/songwriters in the Basque Country. Her songs are hauntingly beautiful. Delicate and yet powerful. I'd like to share here, a song from her second album entitled Geuk Piztutako Suak (The Fire We Lit).

I've burned myself again on the fire I lit

I have lost myself on the roads I tread before

I'm wandering without direction

When I reach the crossroads I take the wrong path

Following the moon

Sometimes escaping towards you

Other times from you

Even though I know the road

I will get lost again

I will drown in the same ocean

Burn under the same sun

Again and again

In the dark corners on the side of the road

I often fall into slumber

Sleeping with the dead beasts

On the path of the lost dogs chasing you

Even though I know the road

I will get lost again

I will drown in the same ocean

Burn under the same sun

Again and again

And on the fire we lit, we will burn again

And blinded by the dark smoke of the old fires

We'll escape, unable to find a path