‘I delve into the pollen, the bark, the thorns […]’

Oh, blissful glory, I find out the precious words of Elizabeth Schön thanks to Francisca P.

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Oh, blissful glory, I find out the precious words of Elizabeth Schön thanks to Francisca P. It is all already written in Francisca’s beautiful letter, so for me I can only pick out a few fragments and translate them in my own way — I wish I were a translator and could bring back proper translations.

Gif by Diana Dolea

• «Voy hacia la lejanía, atravieso el horizonte, penetro en el polen, en las cortezas, en las espinas, sin caer un solo instante. En este preciso segundo el abuelo me toma de la mano y me hace andar. La espuma rodea mis pies; yo le pregunto al abuelo qué es el amor: — ¿El amor? — dice; calla, luego agrega — : ¿Acaso te gustaría que fuese como ese mar que continuamente lanza sus aguas hacia todas las orillas?» (‘I wander into the distance, I break through the horizon, I delve into the pollen, the bark, the thorns, and I do not fall even for an instant. At this very second, grandfather takes me by the hand and leads me to move. The foam wraps around my feet; I ask grandfather what love is: — Love? — he says; he remains silent, then adds: Would you like it to be like the sea, which continually tosses its waters towards all shores?’)
• «El abuelo dice que nunca intente detener la dirección de algo que camina hacia su propio lugar; prefiere que me parezca a esas orillas de los ríos por donde se deslizan las aguas hacia el mar. El sol comenzó a descender. Las nubes empezaron a mancharse de rojo, morado, azul. Nos alejamos. Yo iba dentro de su sombra como dentro de la sombra de ese árbol que, muy frondoso, muy sólido, no desampara ni a las lianas, ni a los nidos, ni a los gajos… ni a las espinas.» (‘Grandfather says I never attempt to hold back the direction of something moving in its own way; he prefers me to be like those riverbanks where the water slides into the sea. The sun started to descend. The clouds turned red, purple, blue. We drifted away. I was in his shade, like in the shade of that tree which, very leafy, very solid, does not let the branches, the nests, the limbs… or the thorns fade away.’)
• «Veía el mar y pensaba en las espinas, en la libertad. Le pregunté al abuelo si con las espinas se alcanzaba la libertad. El abuelo rió y, sólo después que se calmó, me respondió que con las espinas sólo se lograba ver el vacío, el miedo, que se sustentaba.» (‘I stared at the sea and dreamed of the thorns, and freedom. I asked grandfather if freedom could be reached with the thorns. Grandfather laughed and, after he calmed down, he replied that with the thorns, one could only see the void, the fear, which was there.’)
• «¿No crees que la libertad se parece mucho a este pequeño animal que ha tomado la decisión solitaria de no abandonar su camino, y de seguir brindando la semilla que la vertiente le coloca en las manos para sembrar?» (‘Do you think that freedom is very much like this little animal that has made the lonely choice of not leaving its path, and of continuing to provide the seed that the spring places in its mouth to sow?’)

As I read these lines, a dream I had not long ago comes to my mind. My grandfather passed away a few months ago. I did not dwell much on it — my heart rejected the idea that I would never meet him again. And yet one day I caught a glimpse of him in a dream. He was standing in front of his door. It was like he was trying to assure me that he would never leave his home. His reflection haunts me to this day.

Literary Goal for June — ☕ tip of appreciation

📖 La huella de la mariposa by Mahmud Darwix

About the literary goal: I find that I simply love books more than anything else and that it would be unfair to my soul if I would not read them. Therefore, it comes to my mind the idea of creating a literary goal. Every month I intend to acquire a book — the purchase may be made by my own efforts, that is to say, through writing. If you find my commitment rewarding and decide to support me, you are welcome to invite me for a coffee. Thank you for your kindness!