Una rosa blanca

The great Cuban poet Jos� Mart� (1853-1895) wrote this poem called Una rosa blanca (A White Rose). It is my favourite of his poems. It also happens to be his best known. He lived most of his life in exile, and here he shows that he also knew a thing or two about forgiveness.

Cultivo una rosa blanca / I cultivate a white rose
En julio como en enero / In July as in January
Para el amigo sincero / For the sincere friend
Que me da su mano franca. / Who gives me his honest hand.

Y para el cruel que me arranca / And for the cruel one who rips out
El coraz�n con que vivo / the heart with which I live
Cardo ni ortiga cultivo / Neither needle or thorns do I cultivate
Cultivo una rosa blanca. / I cultivate a white rose.