Monday, October 5, 2009

Mercedes Sosa Passes

The great Argentine singer and protest artist, Mercedes Sosa passed away yesterday. Here is a tribute to this brave, inspirational woman:


Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me two beams of light, that when opened,
Can perfectly distinguish black from white
And in the sky above, her starry backdrop,
And from within the multitude
The one that I love.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me an ear that, in all of its width
Records— night and day—crickets and canaries,
Hammers and turbines and bricks and storms,
And the tender voice of my beloved.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me sound and the alphabet.
With them the words that I think and declare:
"Mother," "Friend," "Brother" and the light shining.
The route of the soul from which comes love.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me the ability to walk with my tired feet.
With them I have traversed cities and puddles
Valleys and deserts, mountains and plains.
And your house, your street and your patio.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me a heart, that causes my frame to shudder,
When I see the fruit of the human brain,
When I see good so far from bad,
When I see within the clarity of your eyes...

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me laughter and it gave me longing.
With them I distinguish happiness and pain—
The two materials from which my songs are formed,
And your song, as well, which is the same song.
And everyone's song, which is my very song.

Thanks to life
Thanks to life
Thanks to life
Thanks to life

4 comments:

Laura said...

Hi Phil -- I think your gmail account has been hacked. I got a note saying you are trapped in England. (Same thing happened to a woman at a table next to me in a restaurant last week.)

Hope you're well and not actually trapped in England.

cheers,
laura

Anonymous said...

Yes, mine said not only that you were in England for a seminar ("i am sorry that i didn't inform you..."), but that you needed a "financial favor" from me/us because you misplaced your wallet. You ostensibly needed an urgent loan of $2,800 "to sort-out my hotel bills and get myself back home."

Unknown said...

Third time is the charm. You are being hacked!!!

Neva Reece said...

I once had a radio program and often played "Gracias a la Vida" on the air. I had just thought of this song again a few days ago. Thank you for sharing the information about her.