Songs of a Friend

“Barbara Fowler’s masterful translations offer a panoramic view of the thematic concerns expressed in the cantigas de amigo and convey the haunting and lovely lyrical nature of the original songs as well. Songs of a Friend will not only be of interest to medievalists, but also to those in the fields of women’s studies and comparative literature.” — Linda M. A. Rodrigues, New School for Social Research

“Songs of a Friend places before the English-language reader, finally, a careful selection of medieval Galician-Portuguese songpoems that literally bubble with the fear and trembling, the wonder and excitement, and the anguish and frustration a young girl feels when she cannot account for her lover’s absence or predict his return. Her yearning and desire, eternal experiences of young love, are here beautifully rendered in Barbara Fowler’s lucid English versions. Galician-Portuguese is fortunate to have a translator with the touch of the poet. The reader will be enchanted.” — Joseph T. Snow, Michigan State University