"XA NIN RENCOR..." Poema de ROSALÍA DE CASTRO (FOLLAS NOVAS 1880)/ Música © José Varela G.

“Xa nin rencor…” by Rosalía de Castro (from Follas Novas, 1880)
This poem is one of Rosalía de Castro’s most delicate and emotionally restrained pieces, and it reflects her characteristic blend of melancholy, dignity, and quiet resilience. The speaker expresses a profound emotional wound, yet refuses to respond with bitterness. Instead of anger, the poem offers a tone of resigned sorrow, as if the pain has been absorbed so deeply that it no longer provokes rebellion, only a soft, enduring sadness.

Rosalía often wrote about abandonment, loneliness, and the inner life of women who suffered in silence. In this poem, she transforms personal grief into something almost spiritual, suggesting that suffering can refine the soul rather than destroy it. The absence of resentment becomes a moral stance: the speaker chooses compassion and understanding over revenge or complaint.

At the same time, the poem carries a subtle critique of emotional injustice. By insisting that she holds “no resentment,” the speaker reveals how much she has endured. The gentleness of her tone contrasts with the depth of her hurt, creating a powerful tension between what is said and what is felt. This is one of Rosalía’s great strengths: she conveys the unsaid, the emotional undercurrent that flows beneath the surface of her words.

Ultimately, the poem is about forgiveness, endurance, and the quiet heroism of those who suffer without recognition. It captures the essence of Rosalía’s voice—intimate, wounded, and profoundly human.