The
Latina Book Club wishes everyone a Happy Mother's Day.
And
in honor of our Moms, on earth and in heaven, our friend author Manuel Melendez
shares with us a poem he wrote five years ago for his Mom on her 80th
birthday.
From Manny: To honor her strength and her wonderful
heart, I’m sharing this poem that I wrote for my mother when we celebrated her
80th Birthday. Five years
later, the poem is one of the things I’m proud to have written for her, and now
I know with her blessings, I want to dedicate this poem to every mother that
brings that strength, that love and sweetness into all their children’s heart. Happy Mother's Day! Feliz
Dia de Madres!
 |
| Manny and his Mom |
WHO
ARE YOU?
When
I was a child
I
would look at you
and
ask myself
Who
is that woman?
Who
are you?
are
you the woman
who
cleaned my face?
and
dried my tears
with
warm kisses
and
would tickle me
to
hear my laughter
and
joyful shouts
As
a child
I
would find my dreams
dreams
of holy angels
as
I listened
your
beautiful songs
but
not as beautiful
as
your eyes
that
filled me with love
and
lifted up my soul
into
the clouds
radiated
by
the sun’s rays
As
a child
your
voice
was
always the shield
of
protection
the
one that removed
my
nightmares
with
little kisses
and
the blessings
of
our Lord
As
a child
and
in your hands
I
learned enchantments
and
I understood
the
simple flight
of
butterflies
and
the proud lament
of el jibarito coqui
As
a child
I
grew up
and
I became
the
man I am now
and
still
when
the moon embraces me
and
my eyes
become
heavy
I
still ask myself
Who
is that woman?
Who
are you?
You
are
the
one that fills me
with
so much pride
and
inspiration
who
enriches my dreams
supports
my triumphs
and
doesn’t allow
my
failures
to
be the end of the world
but
only obstacles
that
together
we
will confront
and
defeat
everything
that’s bad
Now
that I look at you
the
same way
when
as a child
in
my crib
I
know who that woman is
She
is my best friend
my
first and last love
my
beautiful mother
my
Saint,
that
God placed in my life.
so
I will never lack
kisses,
embraces
and
motherly love.
Happy
Mother's Day!
SPANISH TRANSLATION
¿QUIEN ERES TU?
Desde niño
te miraba
y me preguntaba
¿Quien es esa
mujer?
¿Quien eres tú?
¿Es usted la señora
que me limpia
la cara
y secaba mis
lágrimas
con tibios besos
y me hacia cosquilla
para oír mis rizas
y gritos de alegres
llantos?
Desde niño
encontraba mis
sueños
sueños de angelitos
santos
al escuchar
tus canciones
lindas,
pero no tan lindas
como tus ojos
que me llenan
de amor
y alza mi alma
entre las nubes
alumbradas
por rayitos del sol
Desde niño
tu voz
fue siempre el
escudo
de protección
la que eliminaba
mis pesadillas
con pequeños besitos
y bendiciones
de nuestro Dios
Desde niño
y en tus manos
aprendí maravillas
y comprendí
el simple vuelo
de las mariposas
y el orgulloso
lamento
del jibarito coqui
Desde niño
crecí
y me convertí
en el hombre
que soy hoy
y todavía
cuando la luna me
cubre
y los ojos
se ponen pesados
me pregunto
¿quien es esa mujer?
¿quien eres tú?
Tú eres
la que me llena
con tantos orgullos
e inspiraciones
quien me en riqueza
mis sueños
apoye mis triunfos
y no me permite
de yo ver mis
derrotas
como el fin del
mundo
pero solo obstáculos
que juntos
podemos enfrentar
y derrotar
todo que nos hacen
mal
Ahora que te miro
igualmente
cuando era niño
en mi cuna
se quien es esa
mujer
Ella es mi mejor
amiga
mi primer y último
amor
mi linda Madre
mi santita
que Dios puso
en mi vida
para que nunca falte
besos, abrazos
y amor maternal.
Feliz Dia de Madres!
Bendicion…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Manuel A. Melendez is a Puerto Rican author born in Puerto Rico and raised in East Harlem, NY. He is the author of a mystery/ supernatural novel (WHEN ANGELS FALL), two poetry books, and a collection of Christmas short stories. BATTLE FOR A SOUL was inspired by events that resulted in his own naming at birth, and these events haunted him from childhood and throughout the writing of the book. The author lives in Sunnyside, NY, harvesting tales from the streets of the city.
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