A Song About Amancaes
Judy Glattstein (Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:27:30 PDT)

My brother, an anthropologist, gave me this tidbit when I was writing a
book about bulbs. From my research notes:

_Amencaes_ is the Peruvian name for their native summer daffodil, used
as its species name, _Hymenocallis_ _amencaes_. My brother, Ben Orlove,
remembers a song he'd heard, a "vals criollo" that mentions the flowers.
Written and composed by Chabuca Granda, this kind of waltz used to be
popular on the coast of Peru. The lyrics go something like this:
"Elegantly dressed in traditional style, wearing a poncho of white
linen, "Jose Antonio" is an accomplished horseman, showing fine mastery
riding his horse. Why, asks the woman, why did he leave her, hoping that
when he returns to see the amancay in bloom, he will sweep her up on his
horse."

Enjoy.

Judy in New Jersey where there are gray and gloomy skies but
temperatures are high enough for precipitation to descend as rain rather
than the white stuff