Manuel Lopez Ruiz.
Emigration
from
Alhama de Almeria
Groupo Salmeron
Brooklyn, NY
The Groupo Salmeron was a civic organization of the Spanish colony in Brooklyn. It hosted dances, sposored Spanish language classes for the children, and provided support to the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War.
Dec 2014 Eco de Alhama on Emigration from village
Librada Galvez Lopez and John, Ana, and Christopher Lopez Galvez
Ambulance that "the colony" donated to the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War
Maria Galvez (Rodriquez) Youth Ribbon from the Groupo Salmeron in Brooklyn
Suspiros de Espana/ Spanish Sighs
God wanted, in all his power
to cast four rays from the sun
and make a woman from them
And when he fulfilled his desire
in a garden of Spain I was born
like a rose grows in its rose-bush
Glorious landof my love
blessed landof perfume and passion
Spain, in every flower there is a heart
sighing at your feet
Oh my God, mortal pain!
Why do I go away from you
my Spain
Why do they uproot mefrom my rose-bush
I want to beonce again
the light of that little sun ray
made woman
by desire of God
Oh mother of mine!
Oh, who could be day light
and at the point of dawn
over Spain be reborn...
My thought
have coated
the firament
with kisses of mine
and over Spain,
like drops of dew.
I let them fall.
In my heart,
Spain, I look at you,
and from my song, the echo will carry you, Spain, in a sigh.
For the million plus Spaniards who for economic and/or political reasons emigrated from Spain during the past century the song Suspiros de Espana spoke of their heartache.
I learned to love this song and understand its significance from hearing my dad sing it on many occasions. During the last years of his life, my dad would get very emotional when I played this song for him.
