Los Cisnes No Cantan Cuando Mueren
Raúl Porchetto
The Silent Elegy of the Swan
Raúl Porchetto's song "Los Cisnes No Cantan Cuando Mueren" tells a poignant and melancholic story about a swan that meets a tragic end. The swan, a symbol of beauty and grace, is killed by humans who envy its color. This act of violence is met with silence; no one hears the swan's cries or its final song. The repeated line, "Los cisnes no cantan cuando mueren" ("Swans do not sing when they die"), underscores the theme of unacknowledged suffering and the quiet, unnoticed end of something beautiful.
The lyrics describe the narrator's intimate moment with the dying swan, holding it and caressing its feathers, which are described as "black as a sun that has died." This imagery evokes a sense of profound loss and the extinguishing of a once radiant life. The swan's black feathers could symbolize mourning or the darkness that follows the loss of something pure and beautiful. The narrator's actions contrast sharply with the indifference of others, highlighting a personal connection and empathy that is absent in the broader world.
Porchetto's song can be seen as a metaphor for the unnoticed and unappreciated beauty in the world that is often destroyed by human envy and ignorance. The swan's silent death serves as a powerful commentary on how society can be blind to the suffering it causes and the beauty it destroys. The song's haunting refrain and vivid imagery leave a lasting impression, urging listeners to reflect on their own actions and the often unseen consequences they may have on the world around them.