Category Archives: Poetry

Circle Pantoum

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I am outside of the circle
The eagle soars, wind beneath his wings
Towards the sunrise, now towards the sunset
No boundaries, only unexplored frontiers

The eagle soars, wind beneath his wings
Throwing off the limits of the circle of family
No boundaries, only unexplored frontiers
Springtime in the north is autumn in the south

Throwing off the limits of the circle of family
Beginning, ending, leaving but not returning
Springtime in the north is autumn in the south
The circle has closed

Beginning, ending, leaving but not returning
Towards the sunrise, now towards the sunset
The circle has closed
I am outside of the circle

Peninsula La Guajira Pantoum

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The women continue interweaving life
A people never conquered, the Wayüü
Desert, sand, wind, salt water
The greatest god of all, fresh water

A people never conquered, the Wayüü
The mother-lines of descent
The greatest god of all, fresh water
Oh, great sand dune Taroa

The mother-lines of descent
Oh, green-blue of the Caribbean
Oh, great sand dune Taroa
The white tombs of the ancient cemeteries

Oh, green-blue of the Caribbean
Desert, sand, wind, salt water
The white tombs of the ancient cemeteries
The women continue interweaving life

First and last line from the great Wayüü poet, Vito Apshana
…Las mujeres continúan entretejiendo la vida
…The women continue interweaving life (my translation)