La flor de la canela [Transliteration]

Flor de La Canela

Cinnamon Flower*

Song written by Chabuca Granda, circa 1949-1950, inspired by and dedicated to “Doña Victoria Angulo Castillo de Loyola” on her 59th birthday. Doña Victoria, who Granda calls The Cinnamon Flower was a beautiful, graceful, and classy black woman admired by Chabuca Granda who was about half her age at the time. Chabuca was singing it to Don José Moreno

Lyrics:

Allow me to tell you, limeño*

Allow me to tell you, of the glory of the reverie evoked by the memory of the old bridge, the river and the promenade**

[*limeño is a Lima city male native

**Alameda means poplar grove and here it refers to “Alameda del Tajamar” a public mall, park or promenade bordered by poplars (álamos) and/or other trees. Today is called “Alameda Chabuca Granda”]

Lyrics Cont

Allow me to tell you, limeño

Now, while it still perfumes the reverie, now, while the old bridge, the river, and the promenade are still swaying in a dream,

With jasmines in her the hair and roses on her face gracefully walked the Cinnamon Flower. Exuding smoothness and leaving on her path a scent of the mixture she was carrying on her chest

From the bridge to the promenade her small steps take her on a path that trembles at the rhythm of her hips. She gathers the mirth of the river breeze and tosses it to the wind from the bridge to the promenade.

Allow me to tell you, limeño

Please allow me to tell you [José] Moreno* my thoughts and we’ll see if that way you can wake up from your dream. The dream that entertains, Moreno*, your sentiments.

[*last name of person she’s talking to, Mr. José Moreno, not his race or skin color.]

Lyrics cont.

Breathe in the smoothness exuded by the Cinnamon Flower, adorned with jasmines which overshadow her beauty

She once again covers the bridge like a tapestry

and beautifies the promenade.

While the river will ushers her stroll thru the path.

And remember that;

With jasmines in her the hair and roses on her face...