Two weeks ago I opened our mailbox to find an empty an empty envelope from Greece.
I was disheartened to find out the
poetry book that had been sent to me been stolen as I was excited to see it because they translator of the book had asked permission to use some of the paintings I did forour project "Mapuche Essence" in the book.
Today, a new one arrived and I am SO grateful to Jaime Svart -(the Chilean translator who found me in this wonderful world of the internet!)- Gracias Jaime!
I am honored to have my painting on the cover (and a few inside too!)
Sergio and I have been invited to make a presentation about our Mapuche Essence project at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC this October and this will be a wonderful addition to our "repertoire" that we will share... so I will have to work on some translations as the book is in Spanish, Greek and Mapudungun (the Mapuche language).
Following is one of the poems from the book as per my translation. So much gets lost in translation, I hope I am doing it justice.
The poetry found in this book is largely speaking of the diaspora of those who leave home-often not by their own choosing.
I can relate, as my mom and stepdad moved us here when I was a teen... and I still feel waves of unbearable nostalgia for my native Chile.
In the Blue sky, Blue.
I write on the water, on it's blue reflection
I write on the sky
which nurtures the Tree
of my thoughts
Matriarchal it is there, the air of Liberty
Paternal the light of tenderness
