Upsoaring wings: All the valley is dancing

The first writer from Latin America to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature was a Chilean poet, Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga; nom de plume Gabriela Mistral. Mistral was also an educator and a diplomat, like her protégé and fellow Nobel Laureate, Pablo Neruda, and she was an outspoken feminist.

Although her own formal education ended when she was eleven, Mistral’s career in the field was long and distinguished; she was a driving force in reforming schools and libraries in Chile and represented Latin America on education and women’s issues at the League of Nations.

Mistral’s poetry covers a variety of topics; her themes include nature, love, betrayal, sorrow and Latin American identity. The poem for today invites us to overcome whatever limitations that might impede us from experiencing joy. I think we do well to follow her advice.

“Those Who Do Not Dance”

A crippled child

Said, “How shall I dance?”

Let your heart dance

We said.

Then the invalid said:

“How shall I sing?”

Let your heart sing

We said

Then spoke the poor dead thistle,

But I, how shall I dance?”

Let your heart fly to the wind

We said.

Then God spoke from above

“How shall I descend from the blue?”

Come dance for us here in the light

We said.

All the valley is dancing

Together under the sun,

And the heart of him who joins us not

Is turned to dust, to dust.