Azalais de Porcairagues

Azalais de Porcairagues (or Alasais de Porcaragues; c. 1135 – after 1173) was a trobairitz, composing in Occitan in the late 12th century. According to her vida, she was from the country around Montpellier. She is associated with the circle of poets which included Raimbaut d'Aurenga, Bernart de Ventadorn, and the Comtessa de Dia.

Only one of her poems survives. As usually printed, it has fifty-two lines, but the text varies between manuscripts, suggesting that it was not written down immediately. No music is attached to it. The poem alludes to the death in 1173 of Raimbaut of Orange; its envoi seems to mention Ermengarde of Narbonne, a well known patroness of troubadour poetry.

Quotes

• Ar em al freg temps vengut
  quel gels el neus e la fainga
  el aucellet estan mut,
  c'us de chanter non s'afrainga;
  e son sec li ram pels plais —
  que flors ni foilla noi nais
  ni rossignols non i crida,
  que l'am e mai me reissida.
  • Now we are come to the cold time
    when the ice and the snow and the mud
    and the birds’ beaks are mute
    and the hedge-branches are dry
    no leaf nor bud sprouts up,
    nor cries the nightingale
    whose song awakens me in May.
  • Lines 1–8, as translated by Magda Bogin, The Women Troubadours (1976), p. 95

External links

• "Azalais de Porcairages", The LiederNet Archive (6 May 2023)