Thanks to Life...

I had a great Spanish lesson today...about the three ways to say "I am" in Spanish. On the bus home, I overheard the woman next to me say, "Yo tengo...." That's one of the ways! I didn't catch the rest of her sentence, but it might have been "Yo tengo frio!" "I am COLD"--cuz it was, today. Cold. It is also my father's birthday. He'd be 117! In his honor, here's one of my favorite songs, written and performed by the incomparable Chilean folklorist, Violeta Parra.




Spanish
Gracias A La Vida

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me dio dos luceros, que cuando los abro,
Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco
Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado
Y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho
Graba noche y día, grillos y canarios,
Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario;
Con el las palabras que pienso y declaro:
Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando
La ruta del alma del que estoy amando

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados;
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me dio el corazón que agita su marco
Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano,
Cuando miro al bueno tan lejos del malo,
Cuando miro al fondo de tus ojos claros

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
Los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
Y el canto de ustedes que es mi mismo canto,
Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto
Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto

English
THANKS TO LIFE

THANKS TO LIFE THAT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH
IT GAVE ME TWO BRIGHT STARS AND WHEN I OPEN THEN
I DISTINGUISH PERFECTLY THE BLACK FROM THE WHITE
AND IN the high sky its starred bottom
AND INT THE CROWD THE MAN I LOVE

THANKS TO LIFE THAT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH
IT GAVE ME HEARING IN ALL ITS WIDENESS
IT RECORDS, NIGHT AND DAY, CRICKETS AND CANARIES,
HAMMERS, TURBINES, BARKS, AND SHOWERS,
AND MY LOVER'S TENDER VOICE

THANKS TO LIFE THAT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH
IT GAVE ME THE SOUND AND THE ALPHABET
WITH IT WORDS I'M THINKING AND DECLARING
MOTHER, FRIEND, BROTHER AND A LIGHT ILLUMINATING
THE WAY TO THE SOUL OF MY LOVER

THANKS TO THE LIFE THAT HAS ME SO MUCH
IT HAS GIVEN ME THE STRENGTH TO MY TIRED FEET
WITH THEM I WALKED CITIES AND PUDDLES
BEACHES AND DESSERTS, MOUNTAINS AND PLANES
AND YOUR HOUSE, YOUR STREET, AND YOUR COURTYARD

THANKS TO LIFE THAT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH
I GAVE MY BEATING HEART
WHEN I LOOK THE FRUIT OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
WHEN I LOOK THE GOOD SO FAR FROM THE BAD
WHEN I LOOK INSIDE YOUR CLEAR EYES

THANKS TO LIFE THAT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH
IT GAVE LAUGHTER AND CRYING
SO I CAN DISTINGUISH HAPPINESS FROM SADNESS
BOTH MATERIALS THAT FORM MY SONG
AND YOUR SONG THAT IS MINE, TOO
AND THE SONG OF ALL WHICH IS MY OWN SONG
THANKS TO LIFE THAT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH